An archeological dig in Yorkshire, England has found that Medieval surgeons were more advanced that previously thought.

The skull in question, dating back to the 11th century, had been struck a near-fatal blow by a blunt weapon, causing a severe depressed fracture on the left hand side.

Closer examination revealed the victim had been given life-saving surgery called trepanning.

A rectangular area of the scalp, measuring 9cm by 10cm, would have been lifted to allow the depressed bone segments to be carefully removed.

This would have relieved the pressure on the brain.

I find it fascinating whenever we discover that ancient peoples had far more advanced medical or technical skills that we typically give them credit for.

I still wouldn’t want to go back and live in those times, but it’s interesting to know that many advanced medical treatments were developed long ago, and that not all knowledge was lost in the western world during the dark ages.

This, though, is the most fascinating quote:

“It seems most probable that the operation was performed by an itinerant healer of unusual skill, whose medical acumen was handed down through oral tradition.”

Where did such a skilled surgeon come from? Was it really oral tradition passed on locally, or was it perhaps a foreign doctor, wandering the world? There were, I believe, doctors in the world at that time who were familiar with such techniques.

I can imagine a doctor going from place to place and country to country throughout the world looking for new techniques or local herbs and medicines, and healing people in exchange for knowledge of local traditions.

I can also imagine a time traveler going back and doing something similar, but I find that far less romantic for some reason.