Roman surgery in Armorica

Abstract

Purpose: To identify evidence of surgical practice in Armorica during the Roman period.

Methods: Various sources were examined to search for potential traces of surgical activity during the Roman era. The objective was to identify archaeological artifacts that could be associated with ancient surgical instruments. Once identified, the objects of interest were examined in different archaeological repositories in Brittany by an independent observer.

Results: Between March 2021 and December 2022, 995 excavation reports were analyzed. Twenty-one documents mentioned a potentially surgical object. One of the analyzed artifacts was referenced in an excavation report containing the keyword "scalpel," originating from the site of Ploufragan (22240, Côtes d'Armor, Brittany, France). Following an in-depth investigation, the artifact was successfully retrieved. The object, measuring 14 cm in length, was made of oxidized bronze. Its tapered handle had an octagonal cross-section. At one end, the handle broadened and flattened into a pointed spatula. The opposite end featured a slit containing an iron component, which was heavily corroded. According to Ralph Jackson, former curator of the British Museum and a specialist in Roman medical instrumentation, this scalpel handle is most likely from the Roman period, dating back to the first to third century CE. The presence of this scalpel suggests that relatively advanced surgical practices were performed by Armorican practitioners in Antiquity. This study provides evidence that operative medicine, as conceptualized in the Greco-Roman tradition, extended to Armorica during Antiquity.

Conclusion: While the study of "beautiful objects" and monumental remains gives a biased image of a given society, the analysis of everyday artifacts can yield significant insights into the habits and routines of a population. This principle also applies to the study of surgical practice in Antiquity. The examination of small objects provides crucial information on the dissemination of medical and surgical knowledge during this period. This work shows the extent to which the history of surgery cannot be conceived without interdisciplinarity.

Keywords: Ancient surgery; Antiquity; History; Scalpel.