The Neolithic skull from Bölkendorf--evidence for Stone Age neurosurgery?

Abstract

Trephinations in Neolithic people have been described all over the world. The reasons for these operations however are not always clear. In the present paper the authors describe the rare case of a Neolithic skull (dated to 1940 cal BC [calibrated before Christ]) showing the combination of a trephination combined with a healed depressed skull fracture. The authors conclude that at least in some cases such operations have been performed for "purely" medical reasons.