Archaeologists Discover Elite 6th Century AD Cavalryman With Unique Fo

[Viggen]

In Hemmaberg, Austria, archaeologists excavating a cemetery associated with an early Medieval church discovered the remains of a middle-aged man whose left foot had been amputated. In its place, a unique foot prosthesis was found. Through analysis of the burial and the bones, the researchers tried to figure out who this man was and whether his foot was amputated for medical reasons, accidentally, or as punishment for a crime.

 

Heavily occupied in the Late Roman to Early Medieval periods, Hemmaberg was a site of early Christian pilgrimage due to its abundance of churches. Archaeological excavation of graves near the Church of St. Hemma and Dorothea revealed early Christian burial practices as well: east-west aligned pits with few grave goods and little evidence of clothing. But one grave in particular piqued researchers’ interest. Situated close to the church, buried with a short sword and an ornate brooch, was a man who likely died during the Frankish reign in the area, the mid- to late-6th century AD, but who had clearly survived a foot amputation.

 

...via Forbes

[sonic]

Just for once a balanced view of the archaeology, rather than the more usual headline-grabbing claims that are there to ensure continued funding!

 

As it would appear that prostheses were made of wood or other organic material, the claim that the find is 'unique' is hardly surprising.  What is useful is the further evidence that medical knowledge during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages was greater than usually acknowledged.  Although the term 'Dark Ages' is only rarely used any more, there remains the concept that as soon as the Roman Empire in the West collapsed the majority of its knowledge was instantly lost.  This may have been true of written material, but maybe the majority of the medical knowledge that remained was simply passed on by word-of-mouth?

 

It is possible that even now we are influenced too much by interpretations made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when it was obvious that the Roman Empire was far in advance of other European cultures and that the successor kingdoms were backward in comparison.  Finds such as this will hopefully bring a more balanced view to the equation.

[Viggen]

I was not aware that the Franks were at this time in carinthia

...depending on when in the 6th century, that could be a goth or a celto-romanic soldier, the Roman empire in todays carinthia (noricum) only "really" dissapeard in the early 7th century with the arrival of the slavs and awars from the south and the bajuwarii from the north...

[caldrail]

It is possible that even now we are influenced too much by interpretations made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when it was obvious that the Roman Empire was far in advance of other European cultures and that the successor kingdoms were backward in comparison.

Any serious study of Roman medical practices soon uncovers how ignorant they were. Far from being sophisticated and advanced, mostly they hadn't the slightest idea what caused an ailment nor what cured it. Prayers were often part of a prescritpion for crying out loud. I do agree they had become quite adept at healing wounds, but bear in mind this body of expertise was in the hands of a greek minority, not generally practised, and for that matter medicine was not free. If you couldn't pay, well that's just tough.

 

The same concept is often part of glowing appraisals of the Roman Legion. The idea that wounded men were quickly pulled back behind the line and treated for emergency wounds is nonsense. If you wanted the medics to treat you, you had to survive shock and blood loss on the field, not to mention being trampled or injured further by whatever was going on. When the battle was finished, and assuming the Romans had won, then you might be lucky enough to be transported back to camp and recive assistance.

 

That the cavalryman mentioned above received a false foot is interesting but not really beyond anyones technology, since the 'foot' was merely a means to remain visually a whole human being as much as an aid to disability. Remember that the Romans had adopted an attitude toward physical perfection not disimilar to the Greeks. Antonia for instance could not bring herself to love her son, the future Caesar Claudius, because of his physical imperfections. She described him as a man that nature hadn't finished. In any case, this cavalryman was lucky enough to receive the false foot. I doubt many of his comrades were so well equipped after disability.

Edited December 16, 2015 by caldrail