Trepanations in the population of the Altai Mountains in the Vth - IIIrd centuries B.C.

The history of trepanations beginning with the Mesolithic (1 0-12 thousand years ago) is known by means of findings in various parts of the world. The article describes three cases of intravital trepanation of skulls from the Pazyryk Culture graves in the Altai Mountains that had existed from the end of the Vl'h to the beginning of the ll"d century B.C. In two cases, trepanations were performed so skillfully that the operated patients had survived for a long time after the surgery, which was confirmed not only by microscopy but also by MSCT of the skulls. The article establishes causes of surgeries performed, reconstructs the technique of surgical manipulations, and evaluates them in terms of modern medicine. A comparative analysis of ancient trepanations performed by healers of different archeological cultures is provided. It is concluded that prehistoric cranial surgeries in the Altai Mountains had been performed for curative purposes.