NEWS BRIEFING: Earliest known Stone Age surgery discovered

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-09-08 01:00

Australia; QLD

Credit: Tim Maloney

*Briefing recording now available* A team of Indonesian and Australian archaeologists co-led by Griffith University academics has unearthed the skeletal remains of a young hunter-gatherer whose lower left leg was amputated by a skilled prehistoric surgeon 31,000 years ago. The discovery, published in Nature, is thought to be the earliest known evidence for a complex medical act, pre-dating other instances of stone age ‘operations’ found at sites across Eurasia by tens of thousands of years. Join us for this online briefing to hear from the team about their discovery.

Media release

From: Australian Science Media Centre

Aussie and Indonesian archaeologists have discovered what is believed to be the earliest known evidence of surgery. The team unearthed the skeletal remains of a young hunter-gatherer whose lower left leg was amputated by a skilled prehistoric surgeon 31,000 years ago. The discovery is thought to be the earliest known evidence for a complex medical act, pre-dating other instances of stone age ‘operations’ found at sites across Eurasia by tens of thousands of years.

Speakers:

Dr Tim Maloney is Research Fellow at the Griffith University, Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Australia
Prof Maxime Aubert is an archaeologist and geochemist in the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science at Griffith University, Australia
Dr India Ella Dilkes-Hall is an archaeologist, archaeobotanist and Forrest Prospect Fellow at the University of Western Australia
Associate Professor Renaud Joannes-Boyau is the Head of Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry Research Group at Southern Cross University
Adhi Oktaviana is a PhD candidate with Griffith University

Date: Wed 07 Sep 2022
Start Time: 10:00am AEST
Duration: Approx 45 min
Venue: Online - Zoom

Multimedia

Skeletal remains found in the Borneo cave site.

Dr Tim Maloney takes in the discovery of the ancient skeletal remains.

Andika Priyatno and Dr Tim Maloney.

Andika Priyatno and Dr Tim Maloney

The skeletal remains of a young hunter-gather whose foot was amputated.

Griffith University Archaeologists discover worlds oldest surgical amputation

Artist ‘s impression of Tebo1

Attachments

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Research Springer Nature, Web page The URL will go live after the embargo lifts.

Briefing recording Australian Science Media Centre, Web page

Journal/
conference: Nature

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Griffith University, The University of Sydney, Southern Cross University, The University of Western Australia, Flinders University

Funder: This research was supported by a fellowship from the Australian Research Council to Maxime Aubert (FT170100025) as well as additional financial support from Griffith University. This research was conducted on instruments supported by the Australian Research Council to Joannes-Boyau et al. (LE200100022) as well as additional financial support from Southern Cross University. India Ella Dilkes-Hall is a Forrest Foundation Prospect Fellow supported by the Forrest Research Foundation.

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