The site of the Media Sphera Publishers contains materials intended solely for healthcare professionals.
By closing this message, you confirm that you are a certified medical professional or a student of a medical educational institution.

Login
EN
+7 (495) 482-4118
+7 (495) 482-4329
+8 800 250-18-12
  • (toll-free number for subscriptions)
    Mon-Fri from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • © 1998-2026
+7 (495) 482-43-29
EN
All journals
Journal
Year
Year
Search result: 0

Krivoshapkin A.L.

Chikisheva T.A.

Institut arkheologii i tnografii SO RAN, Novosibirsk

Zubova A.V.

Institut arkheologii i tnografii SO RAN, Novosibirsk

Kurbatov V.P.

Tsentr khirurgii aorty, koronarnykh i perifericheskikh arteriĭ FGBU "Novosibirskiĭ nauchno-issledovatel'skiĭ institut patologii krovoobrashcheniia im. akademika E.N. Meshalkina" Minzdrava RF, Novosibirsk, Rossiia

Trepanations in the population of the Altai Mountains in the Vth-IIIrd centuries B.C

Authors:

Krivoshapkin A.L., Chikisheva T.A., Zubova A.V., Kurbatov V.P.

More about the authors

Journal: Burdenko's Journal of Neurosurgery. 2014;78(3): 62‑71

Read: 2661 times

Download PDF (RU)
Download PDF
Contact the author
Table of contents

TREPANATIONS IN THE POPULATION OF THE ALTAI MOUNTAINS IN THE VTH-IIIRD CENTURIES B.C.
TREPANATIONS IN THE POPULATION OF THE ALTAI MOUNTAINS IN THE VTH-IIIRD CENTURIES B.C.

To cite this article:

Krivoshapkin AL, Chikisheva TA, Zubova AV, Kurbatov VP. Trepanations in the population of the Altai Mountains in the Vth-IIIrd centuries B.C. Burdenko's Journal of Neurosurgery. 2014;78(3):62‑71. (In Russ., In Engl.)

Подписка 2025 Журнал «Вопросы нейрохирургии» имени Н.Н. Бурденко (Burdenko's Journal of Neurosurgery)
МСФ на ЯМ
Использование инфографики авторами научных работ
Close metadata
Recommended articles:
Anatomical variants of papi­llary craniopharyngiomas: analysis of surgical series. Burdenko's Journal of Neurosurgery. 2025;(4):18-29
Radiosurgery for neurosurgical diseases (by the 20th anni­versary of neuroradiosurgery in Russia). Burdenko's Journal of Neurosurgery. 2025;(6):7-15
Anatomical and surgical research in neurosurgery. Traditions and trends. Russian Journal of Operative Surgery and Clinical Anatomy. 2025;(1):56-65
Pathology features of recu­rrent meni­ngioma. Russian Journal of Archive of Pathology. 2025;(5):28-35
Abstract:

The history of trepanations beginning with the Mesolithic (10-12 thousand years ago) is known by means of findings in various parts of the world. The article describes three cases of intravital trepanation of skulls from the Pazyryk Culture graves in the Altai Mountains that had existed from the end of the VIth to the beginning of the IInd century B.C. In two cases, trepanations were performed so skillfully that the operated patients had survived for a long time after the surgery, which was confirmed not only by microscopy but also by MSCT of the skulls. The article establishes causes of surgeries performed, reconstructs the technique of surgical manipulations, and evaluates them in terms of modern medicine. A comparative analysis of ancient trepanations performed by healers of different archeological cultures is provided. It is concluded that prehistoric cranial surgeries in the Altai Mountains had been performed for curative purposes.

Keywords:

neurosurgery
trepanation
skull injury
archeology
Pazyryk Culture.

Authors:

Krivoshapkin A.L.

Chikisheva T.A.

Institut arkheologii i tnografii SO RAN, Novosibirsk

Zubova A.V.

Institut arkheologii i tnografii SO RAN, Novosibirsk

Kurbatov V.P.

Tsentr khirurgii aorty, koronarnykh i perifericheskikh arteriĭ FGBU "Novosibirskiĭ nauchno-issledovatel'skiĭ institut patologii krovoobrashcheniia im. akademika E.N. Meshalkina" Minzdrava RF, Novosibirsk, Rossiia

Close metadata

References:

  1. Hippocrates. Selected works. Ed. S. Sapozhnikov. M: Publishing House of Medical and Biological Literature 1936; 579-600. In Russian.
  2. Kubarev V.D. Bike-I, III: funerary monuments of the Scythian epoch of Middle Katun. In .: Altai Antiquities: News of the Laboratory of Archeology. Gorno-Altaisk. GAGU 2001; 7: 120-145. In Russian.
  3. Lebedev A.N. X-ray diagnostics of skull and brain injuries. Guidelines for neurotraumatology. Part I. Traumatic brain injury. Ed. A.I. Arutyunov. M: Meditsina 1978; 177-250. In Russian.
  4. Mednikova M.B. Trepanation in the ancient peoples of Eurasia. M: Nauchnyi Mir 2001. In Russian.
  5. Mogilnikov V.A. Mounds of Kyzyl-Dzhar-II-V and some issues of the Altai population in the second half of I millennium B.C. Issues of Archeology and Ethnography of the Altai Mountains 1983; 40-71. In Russian.
  6. Titov A.T., Volkov P.V., Chikisheva T.A., Krivoshapkin A.L., Kurbatov V.P., Zubova A.V. Trepanation in early nomads of the Altai Mountains. Revisiting the tools of ancient surgeons of the Pazyryk Culture. In press.
  7. Andrushko V.A., Verano J.W. Prehistoric trepanation in the Cuzco region of Peru: A view into an ancient Andean practice. Am J Phys Antrhropol 2008; 137: 3-13.
  8. Chege N., Sartoris D.J., Tyson R., Resnick D. Imaging Evaluation of Skull Trepanation Using Radiography and CT. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 1996; 6: 249-258.
  9. Erdal Y.S., Erdal Ö.D. A review of trepanations in Anatolia with new cases. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2011; 21: 505-534.
  10. Fabbry P.F., Lonoce N., Masieri M., Caramella D., Valentino M., Vassallo S. Partial Cranial Trephination by means of Hippocrates’ Trypanon from 5th Century BC Himera (Sicily, Italy). Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2012; 22: 194-200.
  11. Fernando H.R., Finger S. Ephraim George Squier’s Peruvian skull and the discovery of cranial trepanation. Trepanation: history, discovery, theory. Eds. R. Arnott, S. Finger, C. Smith. Lisse: Swets and Zeitlinger 2003; 3-18.
  12. Greenblatt S.H., Dagi F., Epstein M.H. A history of neurosurgery: in its scientific and cultural contexts. Ed. M.H. Epstein. Illinois: Park Ringe: AANS 1997.
  13. Gross C.G. A hole in the head. Neurosci 1999; 5: 4: 263-269.
  14. Gross C.G. Trepanation from the Palaeolithic to the Internet. Trepanation: History, Discovery, Theory. Eds. R. Arnott, S. Finger, C. Smith. Lisse: Swets and Zeitlinger 2003; 307-322.
  15. Kirkur J. The evolution of cranial saws and related instruments. Trepanation: History, Discovery, Theory. Eds. R. Arnott, S. Finger, C. Smith. Lisse: Swets and Zeitlinger 2003; 289-304.
  16. Krivoshapkin A.L., Zelman V.L. Neurosurgery in Siberia. World Neurosurg 2012; 77: 2: 252-256.
  17. Lisowski F.P. Prehistoric and early historic trepanation. Diseases in antiquity. Eds. D.R. Brothwell, A.T. Sandison. Springfield: C.C. Thomas 1967; 651-672.
  18. Lorkiewicz W., Stolarczyk H., Smiszkiewicz-Skwarska A., Zadzinska E. An Interesting Case of Prehistoric Trepanation from Poland: Reevaluation of the Skull from the Franki Suchodolskie Site. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2005; 15: 115-123.
  19. Martin D.C. Like You Need a Hole in the Head: Tool Innovation a Possible Cause of Trephination. A Case from Kerma, Nubia. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2011. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI:10.1002/oa.1281 (05.09.2013).
  20. Martin G. Was Hippicrates a beginner at trepanning and where did he learn? J Clin Neurosci 2000; 7: 500-502.
  21. Missios S.M.D. Hippocrates, Galen, and the uses of trepanation in the ancient classical world. Neurosurg Focus 2007; 23: 1: E11. DOI:10.3171/FOC-07/07/E11 (05.09.2013).
  22. Nikita E., Lahr M.M., Mattingly D. Evidence of Trephination among the Garamantes, a Late Holocene Saharan Population. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2013; 23: 3: 370-377.
  23. Panourias I.G., Skiadas D.E., Marketos S.G. Hippocratea: a pioneer in the treatment of head injuries. Neurosurgery 2005; 57: 181-189.
  24. Prioreschi P. A history of medicine. Vol I. Primitive and ancient medicine. 2nd ed. Omaha: Horatius Press 1996; 21-33.
  25. Rocca J. Galen on the brain. Anatomical knowledge and physiological speculation in the second century AD. Studies and Anncient Medicine. Leiden: Brill Academic Publishers 2003; 23: 26: 313.
  26. Sanhyan A.R., Weber G.J. Evidence of Surgery in Ancient India: Trepanation at Burzahom (Kashmir) over 4000 Years Ago. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2001; 11: 375-380.
  27. Saul F.P., Saul J.M. Trepanaton: old world and new world. A history of neurosurgery. Ed. S.H. Greenblatt. Illinois: Park Ringe: AANS 1997; 29-36.
  28. Schiller F. Paul Broca: founder of French anthropology, explorer of the brain. Oxford (UK): Oxford University Press 1992.
  29. Smrčka V., Kučelka V., Melkova J. Meningioma probable reason for trephination. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2003; 13: 5: 325-330.
  30. Standen V.G., Arriaza B.T. Trauma in the preceramic coastal populations of northern Chile: violence or occupational hazards? Am J Phys Anthropol 2000; 112: 2: 239-249.
  31. The extant works of Aretaeus the Cappadocian. Ed. F. Adams. London 1898; 510.
  32. Tullo E. Trepanation and Roman medicine: a comparison of osteoarchaeological remains, material culture and written texts. J Royal Coll Phys Edinburgh 2010; 40: 165-171.
  33. Weber J., Wahl J. Neurosurgical aspects of trepanation from Neolithic times. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 2006; 16: 536-545.
  34. Zias J., Pomeranz S. Serial Craniectomies for Intracranial Infection 5.5 Millennia Ago. Intern J Osteoarchaeol 1992; 2: 183-186.
Contact the author
Email
Message
The publishing house "Media Sphere" does not provide treatment services, does not give recommendations on contacting medical institutions and specific specialists, on the prescription of medicines and dietary supplements.

Email Confirmation

An email was sent to test@gmail.com with a confirmation link. Follow the link from the letter to complete the registration on the site.

Email Confirmation

Submit Application

You can become an author of one of our magazines, send a request and we will consider it in during the day.

Name
Phone
E-mail
Message
Login
Registration
E-mail
Password
Forgot Password?

Log in to the site using your account in one of the services

Password recovery
E-mail
Login
Register

We use cооkies to improve the performance of the site. By staying on our site, you agree to the terms of use of cооkies. To view our Privacy and Cookie Policy, please. click here.