Ancient Egyptians Were Running on Prostheses

Prostheses are apparently many centuries older than expected. In more than 2000 years of ancient Egyptian tombs, archaeologists have discovered artificial toes. They served as replacements for lost limbs – the tests show the disabled.

London – The trial was unusual: Jacky Finch built two artificial big toe, which had been found in Egyptian mummy tombs, for – and tested it on volunteers, which was missing a big toe. The result: the artificial limb proved themselves not only in running, they were also problems of stress during rolling of the foot stand.

Finch, an Egyptologist at the University of Manchester, keeps the toes for any pure grave goods, as stated by many experts. Rather, they would most likely serve as a substitute for actually severed or amputated toes, Finch writes in the journal The Lancet. Should the British be right, it would be the oldest known prosthesis at all. They would surpass the previous record holder, called Capua Leg, equal to several centuries. The bronze prosthesis was in the Italian Santa Maria Capua Vetere discovered and dated to around 300 BC.

One of the analyzed Finch toes – after its discoverer Greville Chester-toe-called – was the 19th Century near Luxor unearthed. It was made around 600 BC, made of cardboard, which was made from linen and glue from animal remains, and covered with a kind of plaster.

Priest’s daughter with diabetes

The second artificial toe was on the grave of Tabaketenmut, a priest’s daughter, who lived sometime 950-710 BC. There is evidence that she suffered from diabetes. She lost her foot, therefore, possibly due to the typical blood circulation problems in diabetes of the limbs, which manifests itself mainly in the feet and cause a so-called diabetic foot. The found in Tabaketenmut prosthesis is a complex three-part structure of wood and leather hinges. Both toes have holes, which probably served to secure the prosthesis with flaps in the foot.

What Finch believes that it is the artificial toes to dentures, are above all their anatomical accuracy and signs of wear. Therefore, the researcher examined the toes on their practical application. First, they found two volunteers who had lost her entire right big toe. Then they made exactly along the lines of the toes from the mummy tombs of two prostheses. They were applied to the subjects who then on a mat with sensors mounted on a test run completed. In addition to a camera motion sequence was filmed.

It was found that the subjects coped well with the prosthesis and could easily run, says Finch. Art, too, had endured the burden toes without difficulty – although the big toes need run at least 40 percent carry the body weight. The stability and good anatomical adaptation is in the opinion of Finch evidence of the great craftsmanship of the ancient Egyptians.