Ancient Borneo remains reveal successful limb amputation occurred 31,000 years ago
In short: Researchers examining skeletal remains from a cave in Borneo have discovered evidence of a surgical limb amputation dating back at least 31,000 years. The remains of a young individual show that the lower part of their left leg was removed, and they survived the procedure for several years.
This discovery challenges the long-held belief that complex medical procedures only emerged with the rise of farming societies 10,000 years ago. By analyzing the bones found in Liang Tebo cave, the team found that the individual lived for 6 to 9 years after the surgery. However, the study is based on a single archaeological find, so it cannot confirm if such practices were widespread.
This finding suggests that prehistoric foraging groups in tropical Asia possessed sophisticated anatomical knowledge much earlier than previously thought.
Why it matters: Complex surgery is much older than the agricultural revolution that was previously thought to have triggered medical innovation.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Maloney et al. (2022). Surgical amputation of a limb 31,000 years ago in Borneo. Nature. · cc-by
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