Provider: Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic

TY  - JOUR
JO  - Anthropologie (Brno)
TI  - SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW:
(RE)ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THREE
BRONZE AGE TREPANATIONS FROM CROATIA
AU  - CARIĆ M
AU  - TRESIĆ PAVIČIĆ D
AU  - MIKIĆ I
AU  - ČAVKA M
AU  - CVITKUŠIĆ B
AU  - JANKOVIĆ I
AU  - TOYNE JM
AU  - NOVAK M
Y1  - 2020
VL  - 58
IS  - 1
PB  - Moravian Museum, Brno, Czech Republic
SN  - 0323-1119
SP  - 39
EP  - 51
KW  - Paleopathology – Prehistory – Surgical intervention – Cranium
N2  - 
N2  - In this paper we present three prehistoric cases (two previously reported and one recently discovered) of
trepanation from Croatia: Rudine, Bezdanjača and Jagodnjak, all dated to the Bronze Age. By using a detailed
macroscopic analysis as well as radiographic imaging (x-ray and CT scanning) of the skulls, we provide a new
assessment and interpretation for this type of surgical intervention during the Bronze Age. The first case was that of
an adult male from the Rudine site dated to the Early Bronze Age; the second trepanation was recorded on an adult
female from the Bezdanjača Cave, dated to the Middle/Late Bronze Age; the third case was observed on a juvenile
cranium from the Jagodnjak site, dated to the Middle Bronze Age. All three cases exhibit several similarities: (i) all
are located on the right side of the frontal bone; (ii) all three are of similar dimension/shape; (iii) in all cases all three
layers of calvarium were breached; and (iv) similar techniques for trepanation procedure were used in all cases. These
three crania represent the oldest cases of intentional medical interventions in the territory of modern-day Croatia,
while the Jagodnjak individual is the youngest person thus far discovered with this kind of treatment in the region.
ER  -