Archaeologists in Poland have discovered the 300-year-old remains of a man with a cleft palate and a prosthetic limb that helped him survive.
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Archaeologists have discovered the first medical prosthesis of its kind in Poland: a nearly 300-year-old device that has helped a man with a cleft palate live more comfortably.
Today, people born with a cleft palate can have it corrected with surgery. A cleft palate occurs when the roof of the mouth, called the hard palate, fails to close completely during pregnancy. Research shows that the hard palate prevents the contents of the mouth from entering the nasal cavity, making it easier to swallow, breathe, and speak. This 18th-century man died in his 50s, and because modern surgery was not available to him, he found another way to treat it: using a prosthesis made of wool and precious metals that he placed in his nasal cavity.
“This is most likely the first discovery of its kind in Poland and possibly in Europe,” lead author Anna Spiniec, an anthropologist at the Hirschfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy in Poland, told Live Science in an email. “No similar device has been found in any institutions or private collections in Poland or abroad.”
The “unique” prosthesis, called a palatal obturator, is 1.2 inches (3.1 cm) long and weighs about 0.2 ounces (5.5 grams), according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Archaeology: Reports. It consists of a wool pad sewn onto a metal plate.
Researchers discovered the prosthesis in the crypt of the Franciscan Church in Krakow during archaeological excavations in 2017–2018. A medical examination and CT scan of the remains of a man with a cleft palate revealed that the implant was located between his jaws. When archaeologists removed the prosthesis, they noticed yellow (possibly gold) and green (possibly copper) stains on the fiber padding, which they later confirmed was wool, and that the stains had been accidentally removed during restoration. The wool pads were likely first coated with a thin sheet of copper and then with gold leaf to prevent secretions from penetrating the fibers and thereby preventing infection.
“Today, it is difficult to assess the tightness of the seal or the tightness of the obturators,” the study authors write. “However, modern patients with similar health problems note that their speech has improved (become clearer) and they have become more comfortable eating after using the prosthesis.”
To determine the composition of the prosthesis, the researchers analyzed it using a scanning electron microscope, which allows for a much larger view of the surface of an object, and an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer, which is used to analyze the chemical composition of a sample. They found that the metal sheets were made primarily of copper, with significant amounts of gold and silver. The wool contained trace amounts of silver iodide, which may have been added for its antibacterial properties.
Today, cleft palate (including cleft palate and cleft lip) occurs in 1 in 1,000 to 1,500 births and has been known since ancient times. The study’s authors write that the ancient Greek orator Demosthenes (384-322 BC) had a cleft palate and suggested that he used pebbles to fill the gap. Some 16th-century writings suggested using a combination of cotton, wax, gold, silver, wool, and sponges to correct cleft palates. These rare devices are unique and custom-made by dentists. Because they were made of precious metals, only the wealthiest classes of society could afford them, according to Spinek.
“This research contributes to a better understanding of the evolution of past human medical practices, particularly how developmental disabilities can be managed to improve a person’s quality of life,” James Watson, a professor of anthropology at the University of Arizona, told Live Science in an email. He is not aware of similar prosthetics being found in other premodern burials.
“The level of sophistication of the prosthesis demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship,” study co-author Marta Kurek, an anthropologist at the University of Lodz in Poland, told Live Science in an email. She emphasized that the prosthesis is made of extremely thin metal, which is fragile and not as easy to machine as modern materials, but it fits perfectly into the defect.
Soumya Sagar has a medical degree and completed a neurosurgical fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. His work has appeared in magazines such as New Scientist, Science, Discover, and Mental Floss. He is a passionate science writer with a passion for knowledge, especially popular science. He enjoys writing about medicine, animals, archaeology, climate change, and history. Animals hold a special place in his heart. He also enjoys learning new things, visiting historical sites, reading Victorian literature, and watching noir films.
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