27 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull was discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province.

In the prehistoric era, Anatolia served as a transitional area for the first human settlement from the Neolithic period. Prehistoric people have left the tips of beliefs, rituals, and ways of their lives in this land.

Archeology, anthropology, and with the cooperation of medical science is trying to solve these tips. Preparation is one of the findings of this unique example that can be accepted as the beginning of the history of neurosurgery. Although first trepanation (Brain surgery) has been performed in a skull which discovered in Israel in Paleolithic period, the oldest trepanned skull was belonging to Neolithic human. However, many trepanations have been performed after deat.

The earliest trepanation in living human was discovered in Aşıklı Höyük. After Aşıklı Höyük, another extraordinary trepanation find in Anatolia was discovered during the ongoing salvage excavations in Van.

This special find was found during the salvage excavation in the Early Iron Age necropolis in the İçimli hamlet of Uzuntekne Village in the Çatak district of Van.

The exciting find was shared on the social media account of the Excavations and Research Department of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The trepanation find, which was discovered during the rescue excavations of the Early Iron Age necropolis, which started in 2016 under the presidency of the Van Museum and carried out under the scientific consultancy of Dr. Gulan Ayaz from the Department of Archeology at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University for two years, by the Excavations and Research Department, “Four seasons in our excavations. An extraordinary example of trepanation dating back 3200 years from our rescue excavations carried out by our YYU faculty members under the presidency of the Van Museum…” announced as.

Trepanation has been for thousands of years, making it one of the oldest medical procedures known to the human race.

Trepanation was thought to be a remedy for a variety of conditions, including head injuries in ancient times. It may also have been used to treat pain. Some scientists also think that the technique was used in rituals to expel spirits from the body.

We will continue to convey the developing information about the second extraordinary 3200-year-old trepanation find after Aşıklı Höyük.

Related Articles

2,000-Year-Old Dancing Man Statuette Unearthed in Siberia

6 May 2021

6 May 2021

During excavations for a new bridge over the Ob River in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third-largest district, a ten-centimeter-tall figurine was discovered....

Between Shamans, Gods and Spirits: A Journey into Bulgaria’s Mysterious Central Asian Origins

2 July 2025

2 July 2025

Long before modern borders were drawn, ancient spiritual traditions — led by shamans and rooted in communion with the unseen...

The migration movement that started from Siberia 30,000 years ago may have shaped Göbeklitepe

24 June 2022

24 June 2022

Professor Semih Güneri, retired faculty member from Dokuz Eylul University (DEU) Caucasus Central Asia Archeology Research Center, stated that they...

Exploring the life story of a high-status woman from isotope data in Hungary’s largest Bronze Age cemetery

29 July 2021

29 July 2021

Researchers examined 29 tombs from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of Hungary’s largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries, and one of them, a high-status...

Ancient Pottery Find at Megiddo May Corroborate Biblical Battle and Hint at “Gog and Magog” Narrative

27 April 2025

27 April 2025

Archaeological excavations at the ancient site of Megiddo in northern Israel, also known as “Armageddon,” have unearthed a significant amount...

Human Relief Found at Million Stone Excavation Site in İstanbul

18 July 2021

18 July 2021

The Milion Stone (also known as the Million Stone) from the Eastern Roman period is one of important the historical...

Amateur divers discover ‘enormously valuable’ hoard of Roman coins

27 September 2021

27 September 2021

Two amateur free divers have found one of the largest collections of Roman coins in Europe off the east coast of Spain. Luis Lens...

Archaeologists discover rare Caanite inscription on ancient ivory comb

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

Israeli archaeologists discovered a rare inscription on an ivory comb that sheds new light on the Canaanite language’s use some...

In the Mediterranean Oldest Hand-Sewn Boat is Preparing for its Next Journey

25 January 2024

25 January 2024

The oldest hand-sewn boat in the Mediterranean was discovered in the Bay of Zambratija near Umag on Croatia’s Istrian peninsula....

Pendants and beads reveal nine European Cultures living across the continent 30,000 years ago

1 February 2024

1 February 2024

In a new study, researchers have constructed a continent-wide database of personal ornaments worn by Europeans 34,000-24,000 years ago, a...

Scandinavia’s first farmers slaughtered the hunter-gatherer population, according to a new study

9 February 2024

9 February 2024

Following the arrival of the first farmers in Scandinavia 5,900 years ago, the hunter-gatherer population was wiped out within a...

A Mysterious Deity’s Ancient Gold Gift was Discovered at Georgia’s Gonio-Apsaros Roman Fort

25 October 2024

25 October 2024

During excavations at the Roman fortress of Apsaros in Georgia, archaeologists discovered a unique gold votive plaque presented to Jupiter...

An inscription containing the Turk name was discovered for the first time in Anatolia

3 September 2022

3 September 2022

For the first time in the pre-Islamic Early period Turkish history, an inscription bearing the inscription expression “Turk” and written...

Spanish Water Worker discovered 2,500-Year-Old two Gold Necklaces

14 September 2023

14 September 2023

A worker at a local water company in Spain discovered two gold necklaces thought to date back 2,500 years. Sergio...

Treasure Hunter Claims to Find First Council of Nicaea’s Location, Demands $50 Million for Discovery

26 April 2025

26 April 2025

In a startling revelation, Mustafa Uysal, a treasure hunter from Bursa, has claimed to have unearthed an underground city in...