Prehistoric skull trepanation in China.

Abstract

The term trepanation describes the removal of sections of bone from the cranium. Although others may have made earlier reference to trepanation, in 1995, Chinese archeologists discovered a skull at the Neolithic site Fujia from approximately 3000 bc (the Dawenkou Cultural Period), Guangrao, Dongying, Shandong, China, and after careful examination of the specimen, the archeologists suggested that the procedure had been performed on a living patient who subsequently survived. Archeological evidence supports that the practice of trepanation was widespread.