Trepanation in the Sarmatians of the Lower Volga Region (Revisiting its Causes and Origins)

• Main Author: Pererva, E.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Інститут археології НАН України 2020
• Series: Археологія і давня історія України
• Subjects: Антропологічні студії
• Online Access: http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/187354

Skull trepanation of the is one of the most frequently performed operations on human skull by modern and ancient surgeons. Trepanation is often associated in the scientific literature with such widespread manipulations in ancient peoples’ bodies as deliberate head or extremities deformation, scalping, artificial scarification, decapitation and truncation of limbs, etc. Nowadays, it is known that trepanation is therapeutic or ritual manipulation done in vivo or posthumous. Also skull trepanation is performed by various techniques. The definition of all these criteria allows anthropologists to evaluate the nature of the development of medical knowledge of ancient societies, to determine the degree of technical sophistication of ancient doctors, to understand the traditions and customs of peoples who lived on earth in the distant past. The paper is an attempt to summarize and consider cases of craniotomy on craniological materials dating back to the Sarmatian era. Evaluation of the described fixed manipulations from the point of view of the technique of carrying out the operations and the reasons for their conduct is also given in the study. An attempt was made to find the sources of the spread of the tradition of skull trepanation in the nomadic peoples of the Early Iron Age who inhabited the Lower Volga region.