Prehistoric people's health

The study of ancient people and their illnesses is known as paleopathology. Although the focus of this science is on old and ‘dusty’ specimens, the field itself is one that is brimming with new discoveries.

In the Paleolithic Age, the earliest stage of human evolution, social structures consisted of small groups of hunters and gatherers, and life was dangerous with numerous challenges to health.

The burials sites of Neanderthals provided a great deal of evidence that enabled scientist to study about prehistoric peoples. Some of the skeletons showed signs of bone disease such as arthritis, that must have developed over many years.

Prehistoric humans initially had simple approaches to health, which became more complex as their behavioral and cultural repertoire developed.

Ancient medicine evolved over millennia, in interchange with culture and society. It later provided a platform for traditional medicine, which continues to be practices today, for modern biomedicine.

Disease was present on earth long before human life, and scientists can only speculate about the human practice of prehistoric medicine.

Prehistoric people probably treated their wounds similarly to the way animals treat themselves: immersing themselves in cool water and applying mud to irritated areas, sucking stings, licking wounds and exerting pressure on wounds to stop the bleeding.

Anthropologists have found that some primitive peoples employ a variety of means for staunching the flow of blood, for example using herbs or roots, often with astringent or antibacterial qualities, that they apply to the wound on the form of powders or poultices.
Prehistoric people's health

Paleomedicine

Paleomedicine
Evidence of disease and injuries among ancient humans and other animals is incomplete for epidemiological purposes, but more than sufficient to establish the general notion of their abundance.

Therefore, we would able to determine when uniquely human responses to the suffering caused by disease and injury began.

In other words, at what stage did human beings begin to practice medicine and surgery?

Clues to the existence of paleomedicine must be evaluated even more cautiously than evidence of disease.

For example, the “negative imprints” that appear to be tracings of mutilated hands found in Paleolithic cave paintings may record deliberate amputations, loss of fingers to frostbite, magical symbols of unknown significance, or even some kind of game.

Early humans may have learned to splint fractured arms or legs to alleviate the pain caused by movement, but there is little evidence that they learned to reduce fractures.

Moreover, well healed fractures can be found wild apes.

Thus, the discovery of healed fractures and splints does not necessarily prove the existence of prehistoric orthopedic surgeons or bone setters.

Perhaps the most striking proof of ancient surgical skill appeared in the form of trepanned skulls discovered at Neolithic sites in Peru, Europe, Russian and India.

Although this operation is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “prehistoric brain surgery,” trepanation consists of the removal of a disk of bone.

Anthropologists have discovered that contemporary tribal healers perform trepanations for both magical and practical reasons.

Prehistoric surgeons may also have had various reasons for carrying out this difficult and dangerous operation.
Paleomedicine