A review of trepanations in British antiquity focusing on funerary context to explain their occurrence

Roberts, C.A.; McKinley, J.

A review of trepanations in British antiquity focusing on funerary context to explain their occurrence

Roberts, C.A.; McKinley, J.

Authors

Professor Charlotte Roberts c.a.roberts@durham.ac.uk
Emeritus Professor

J. McKinley

Contributors

R. Arnott
Editor

S. Finger
Editor

C.U.M. Smith
Editor

Abstract

This study focuses on the extant evidence for trepanations in Britain and assesses the possible reasons for their occurrence. Sixty-two trepanations are considered, ranging in date from the Neolithic (4,000-2,000 BC) to the post-Medieval (post-sixteenth century AD) periods. The post-Roman/Anglo-Saxon period provided the most numerous evidence (24 or 38.7% of the total), and in 43 cases the reason for the trepanation was not apparent. Almost two thirds of the trepanations had evidence of healing. Consideration of funerary context revealed that only the Iron Age examples, and one Anglo-Saxon individual with a trepanation buried prone in a Roman villa site, might have been the result of a special or ritual act.

Citation

Roberts, C., & McKinley, J. (2003). A review of trepanations in British antiquity focusing on funerary context to explain their occurrence. In R. Arnott, S. Finger, & C. Smith (Eds.), Trepanation : history—discovery—theory (55-78)

Conference Name	Trepanation : history, discovery, theory. International colloquium on cranial trepanation in human history.
Conference Location	Birmingham University
Start Date	Apr 1, 2000
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2003
Deposit Date	Sep 30, 2009
Pages	55-78
Book Title	Trepanation : history—discovery—theory.
Keywords	Trepanation, Britain, Prehistoric, Roman, Post-Roman/Anglo-Saxon, Later and post-Medieval, Funerary context.
Public URL	https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1695163