Photo: Bartłomiej Kaczyński
Archaeologists have uncovered a rare iron tool, roughly 2,300 years old, used by the Celts for cranial surgery.
The hand-held artifact was found at a Celtic settlement on Lysa Góra in eastern Poland. “The craftsmanship and precision of the iron object indicate Celtic metallurgical skill,” said Bartłomiej Kaczyński, an archaeologist at the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw. The tool was likely used for trepanation, a surgical procedure involving drilling or scraping a hole in the skull.
Trepanation, whose name comes from the Greek word meaning “to bore,” has been practiced by cultures worldwide for at least 5,000 years, including in modern-day Spain, Israel, and Bolivia, continuing until the early 19th century.
Several trepanation techniques existed. A 2007 study suggests that the Celts primarily used the “scraping method”, while drilling techniques were less common.
“Celtic trepanation, evidenced by specialized tools found in burials, likely had both ritual and medical purposes,” Kaczyński explained.
No skeletal remains showing trepanation have yet been found at Lysa Góra. However, the discovery of the tool this spring provides new evidence of the Celts’ medical and ritual knowledge, as well as the metallurgical expertise required to produce such an instrument.
The artifact appears to be a type of ancient scalpel, with a blade extending into a pin that was likely attached to a wooden handle. According to researchers, the find highlights the Celts’ specialized knowledge and suggests the presence of skilled craftsmen capable of producing such tools.
