A Békés Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 1. (Békéscsaba, 1971)

Juhász Irén–Toda Molnár Béla: The century trephined skull of Gerendás

Tenth century trephined skull of Gerendás IRÉN JUHÁSZ-BÉLA TORDA-MOLNÁR A trephined skull was found in the fields of the village of Gerendás in the course of digging for sand. On the basis of its proportions it belongs to the female sex, and is of a Turanid - Cro - Magnóid type. Since trepanations of the nature as can be seen on this skull were performed in Hungary only in the 10th century, its age can be dated from the 10th century. The number of large-size trepanations published so far is 22, including three female ones. The number of occurrences has, therefore, increased with this present skull. On the left of the skull, an artificial, healed injury 81x60 mm can be seen on the parietal bone which, after healing, contracted to 67x46 mm. Immediately below it, in an area of 110x30 mm in the temporo-parietal field the bone has tapered off. On the inner surface of the skull, as a sign of increased pressure, the impressions of the cerebral convolution have become level and the outlines of the temporal artery have become more pronounced. The age of the deceased at the time of death can be put ab about 20 years. The form of the skull is strongly deformed. On the basis of the thinning away of the bone, the syptoms of increased inner pressure, and the deformation the presence of a benign tumor can be assumed. This may have caused epileptic and ataxic symptoms which justifies the assumption that the trepanation had been performed for therapeutic purposes. The trepanation indicates a well-developed technique. Since the application of a trephine can be noticed on the skull, this indicates the work of a trained surgeon, as againts the majority of the trepanations seen so far which were performed with scraping and cutting methods. In addition, the find is rendered important by the great probability of the assumed tumor. This seems to justify the conception that the operation was performed not for animistic but for therapeutical purposes. The text tables contain the data of the large-size trepanations found so far, as well as the anthropological measurements of the skull. The drawings show the places of the assumed trepanations, the actions, and the instrument. 181