Insight into ancient Greek neurosurgery dug up on Chios

Skull with a hole following trepanation

WHEN a Greek family on the eastern Aegean island of Chios decided to build an underground garage, they never dreamt they would dig up evidence of ancient brain surgery.

Archaeologists who were called to the site discovered four tombs and a skull. One of the skulls had a hole in it.

"We were shocked," said Anna Karageorgi, the owner of the property.

Experts said the 1.62cm hole in the left rear of the skull reveals signs of trepanation, a procedure in which a portion of the skull is removed from a living patient. The neurosurgery was successful.

The skull, which dates back to 250 BC, is now on show at the Chios Archaeology Museum. News of the neurosurgical find on Chios was published in The Sunday Times on September 2. The report, written from Chios by Philip Pangalos, was quickly picked up the Greek media. The culture ministry issued a press release on September 3 confirming the report.

According to Asterios Aidonis, an anthropologist at the Chios Archaeological Museum, the find is rare.

"The exciting thing about the skeleton is that it had signs of trepanation," Aidonis was quoted by The Times. "There is a hole in the left rear of the skull that has evidence of healing over time. This indicates the person lived after the operation and there are very few signs of infection."

Aidonis said preliminary investigations showed evidence that the subject survived for five to six years after the operation and that he was about 50 years old when he died.

Trepanning, the ancient medical process of drilling or cutting a hole into the skull, was used to relieve pressure on the brain tissue, lift a compression fracture of the skull or remove a blood clot on the brain. Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates had recommended trepanning for head wounds and haematoma.

The technique is in use today to alleviate bleeding caused by injuries.

ATHENS NEWS , 05/09/2003, page: A07
Article code: C13030A072