Klingan Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 This is a really short one. The page also include a short clip from discovery channel where they interview an Egyptologist about her work. An artificial big toe attached to the foot of an Egyptian mummy could be the world's oldest prosthetic body part, British researchers said Friday. The fake toe, which is made of wood and leather and is currently on display at the Cairo Museum in Egypt, dates from between 1000 and 600 B.C. Researchers at Manchester University in north-west England hope to prove it was used to help someone who had lost their original big toe to walk. If they do, it could mean that prosthetic body parts were in use up to 700 years earlier than was previously thought. The oldest known prosthesis is a bronze Roman leg dating from about 300 B.C. which was kept at the Royal College of Surgeons in London but was destroyed during a German bombing raid in the Second World War. A second false big toe, which is on display at the British Museum, will also be tested by scientists in Manchester. "If either one is functional, it may be interesting to manufacture it with modern materials and trial it for use on people with missing toes," said Jacky Finch, a researcher working on the study. She added that the Cairo toe is the most likely to have been a prosthesis, because it shows signs of wear and is attached to a "well-healed" amputation site. The London toe, by contrast, does not bend and is therefore more likely to have been cosmetic, she said. Original page and the video clip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 A key prosthetic..perhaps the original was lost to gout if the person was of exalted status? I am reminded of the suggestion that Henry VIIIth died due to malnutrition because of his adherence to a high status diet of meat, abjuring fruit and vegetables as commonplace foods (and a prodigious intake of fine wines and beers). The loss of a big toe is profound to balance . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Salve, K! Ancient Artificial Eye Unearthed in Iran Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News ANOTHER GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE OLDEST PROTHESIS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Salve, K! Ancient Artificial Eye Unearthed in Iran Somehow I'm not very surprised that discovery news doesn't have very good check on their own news. Very interesting article thou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Remember this chap? http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=923 neat bridgework, later period of course but a "nothing new under the sun" thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Remember this chap?http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=923 neat bridgework, later period of course but a "nothing new under the sun" thing. Oh ouch, that must have been hurting like hell! I guess it did the job thou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Remember this chap?http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=923 neat bridgework, later period of course but a "nothing new under the sun" thing. Nope, only oldies are appearing under the sun. The bionic-eye baby is currently dated back some 4800 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted July 30, 2007 Report Share Posted July 30, 2007 (edited) Salve, guys! The original link is no more. Then, here is an image of the Cairo Toe. The problem with the datation of this baby is its extremely wide range;1069 to 664BC! Edited July 30, 2007 by ASCLEPIADES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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