Experts from a US museum believe it could be one of the oldest examples of advanced surgery. The Museum of Osteology in Oklahoma said the skull is reported to have been that of a man who was injured in battle before undergoing surgery to implant a piece of metal in his head to repair a fracture.

  • GutsBerserk@lemmy.worldEnglish
    295·
    11 months ago

    We, the “modern humans”, would do so many mental gymnastics but to accept the apparent fact that “ancient humans” were in no way less smarter than us.

    • MeanEYE@lemmy.worldEnglish
      38·
      11 months ago

      In reality intelligence was about the same, just less existing knowledge to stand on.

      • GladiusB@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        11 months ago

        I would argue that intelligence is different than exploration. We now have amassed so much recordable knowledge across so many disciplines. In the past those that remembered this knowledge correctly or where to find it were the intelligent ones. Now it’s how we use it. It’s a drastic pivot point in human history and the computer is the center piece.

      • jopepa@lemmy.worldEnglish
        51·
        11 months ago

        Tough to say what existing knowledge there was after the Spaniards saved them.

  • Dave@lemmy.nzEnglish
    248·
    11 months ago

    Is there more info?

    My first thought is why did they discount the idea from movies of someone being executed painfully by having molten metal poured on their head?

    • SonnyVabitch@lemmy.worldEnglish
      86·
      11 months ago

      They discounted the idea because

      Surprising as it may seem, the patient survived the procedure, as evidenced by the fact that bone surrounding it fused together.

      This rarely happens when they pour molten metal on the head, according to medical experts.

      (source: Snopes)

      • EmoDuck@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        20·
        11 months ago

        I am not a medical expert but I concur that having molten metal poured over your head and having signs of healing would have very little correlation

      • poppy@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        11 months ago

        Thanks for the link, it also answered my question about the shape of the skull.

        Yes, this is a real human skull that is thousands of years old. Elongation was achieved through head binding beginning at a very young age. It was typically practiced to convey social status by various cultures.

      • Dave@lemmy.nzEnglish
        1·
        11 months ago

        Thanks! I wasn’t seriously considering that it may have happened, just reminded me of movies (as I mentioned) and was keen to read more as no source was linked.

    • CookieMonsterDebate@lemmy.worldEnglish
      541·
      11 months ago

      I’m no expert, but my first thought is, molten metal is so hot it would probably do more damage than it would fix. Also, the shape is quite neat/precise, rarely the case when pouring a liquid on a curved surface. There doesn’t seem to be any pooling in the cracks and depressions. The edges are very clean.

      Furthermore, and to me, most convincingly, it looks like it’s been hammered. There are no bubbles, thickness looks regular, the surface looks like it has been worked on, there are even what seem to be folds, to adapt the shape to the wound.

      The bones have fused back together, which shows that there was healing, which takes time. So that indicates that the person survived the wound (and the procedure).

      So that’s what I would guess based on those photos.

      I’m very impressed it worked. Look at the wound. Someone seems to have had their skull crushed in by a big blunt object, rock or hammer or whatever. I wouldn’t really expect anyone to survive that, even with modern medical abilities.

      Edit : I think I sort of misread your question. But either way, the info above still stands.

      I would add, re: the execution idea. In most early civilizations, metal is a rare resource. Why waste it one someone you want to kill?

    • Alexstarfire@lemmy.worldEnglish
      16·
      11 months ago

      Looks like it covers the damaged part of the skull, for one. If it was for execution it is unlikely it’d just cover that spot. It’s not exactly a lot if you’re just trying to execute someone. Not that I’d want any amount poured on me.

      • sab@kbin.social
        366·
        11 months ago

        Nothing wrong with asking critical questions and wondering how one can be sure of something! That’s the first step of figuring out how stuff works - it’s how every one of those experts started out. And especially so as the original post did not cite any sources. No need for the hostility! :)

        • Spuddlesv2@lemmy.caEnglish
          183·
          11 months ago

          My bet is they are Australian. We call dickheads “dickhead” for all sorts of reasons not just because they’re a dickhead.

            • sab@kbin.social
              15·
              11 months ago

              Sorry about that, I assumed you were being a dickhead and it turns out you’re just some dickhead. Fair enough!

              • Spuddlesv2@lemmy.caEnglish
                3·
                11 months ago

                I said to shoot across her nose, not up it!

                Sorry sir I’m doing the best I can.

                Who’s that?

                That’s Dickhead sir.

                I know that but what’s his name?

                That is his name sir. Major Dickhead.

                Well who hired him?

                I did sir! He’s my brother.

                He’s a Dickhead too, sir.

                How many Dickheads do we HAVE on this ship?!?

                YO!

                I knew it. I’m surrounded by Dickheads. KEEP FIRING, Dickheads.

          • Huschke@lemmy.worldEnglish
            31·
            11 months ago

            So if I understand you correctly “dickhead” in this context is not an insult? 🤨

            • Spuddlesv2@lemmy.caEnglish
              62·
              11 months ago

              Not really. It’s like saying you’re just another idiot on the internet, not an expert. It CAN be an insult, but in the context above it wasn’t, or at least only a gentle one.

              Edit to say, remember we are the people that call our best friends fuckhead and our enemies mate. And vice-versa.

        • StorminNorman@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1310·
          11 months ago

          No hostility. You literally are just some dickhead on the internet, it’s how anonymous sites line this work… And come on, your basis for this was based on movies? How the fuck is anyone meant to actually take your line of questioning seriously to begin with? And the article included info to answer your question anyway. Sure, be critical, but actually be critical…

        • Dave@lemmy.nzEnglish
          1·
          11 months ago

          I wasn’t even seriously suggesting that they had molten metal poured on them, just hoping to read more since no article was linked.

      • Dave@lemmy.nzEnglish
        1·
        11 months ago

        But there was no link to any article so who are these experts? I wasn’t seriously suggesting they had molten metal poured on them, it was just my dumb way of asking for more info.

  • LaserTurboShark69@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    12·
    11 months ago

    Imagine living through getting your head smashed in as well as having it pieced back together and fixed with a chunk of crudely shaped metal. I hope they had some good drugs.

    • ChiefSinner@lemm.eeEnglish
      31·
      11 months ago

      Imagine if it was melted metal poured on his head to give it shape. 💀

  • Blue@lemmy.worldEnglish
    51·
    11 months ago

    It’s no one bothered by the fact his skull is massive? And before you say they elongated his skull with ropes, go and check more recent procedures, the skull thines on the top, like a cone head.

    This guy skull was ancient aliens big, because I doubt that was a warrior with macrocephaly.

  • FrostyCaveman@lemm.eeEnglish
    1·
    11 months ago

    I wasn’t aware there was any metalworking going on that long ago in South America… interesting

  • ChiefSinner@lemm.eeEnglish
    11·
    11 months ago

    What if we all got it wrong, and the metal came from the guys helmet as it was bashed in from something heavy and hot that fused part of the helmet to the fractured skull?