World’s Oldest Artificial Eyeball

By Alex in Health on Jul 14, 2007 at 7:40 pm

Last year, archaeologists in discovered the world’s oldest artificial eyeball in an ancient city of what is now Iran:

Archaeologists in Burnt City announced unprecedented discovery of an artificial eyeball, dated to 4800 years ago, in this historic site.

Announcing this news, director of Burnt City archaeology excavation team, Mansur Sajadi, said that this eyeball belongs to a sturdy woman who was between 25 to 30 years of age at the time of death. Skeletal remains of the woman were found in grave number 6705 of Burnt City’s cemetery.

Regarding the material used to make this artificial eyeball, Sajadi said: “The material this artificial eyeball is made of has not yet been determined and will be assessed through later testing. However, at first glance it seems natural tar mixed with animal fat has been used in making it.”

Link – via Medgadget

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Gellner
Jul 15th, 2007 at 3:40 am
Did know one consider the possibility that maybe they just “stuck” it there during the burial rites? I mean, come on.
Alex
Jul 16th, 2007 at 1:26 am
No, Gellner – it was specifically made as an artificial eyeball:

According to Sajadi, even the most delicate eye capillaries were drawn on this eyeball using golden wires with a thickness measuring less than half a millimetre. There are also some parallel lines around the pupil forming a diamond shape. Two holes are also seen on the sides of this eyeball to hold it in the eye socket.

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