Ancient Roman medical tools were found 125 years ago. Now, scans reveal their purpose

Around the year 1900, a handful of Roman medical tools were fished from the Walbrook River, an underground waterway that snakes beneath London.

A total of six instruments were found: a scalpel handle, a spoon, two needles and two probes.

Now, over a century later, researchers have scanned the ancient items using “state-of-the-art” technology, revealing their detailed designs and unique purposes, according to a July 16 news release from the University of Exeter.

Using a high-powered CT scanner, researchers were able to peer inside the tools and create three-dimensional models of them.

“New technologies allow us to investigate ancient objects in novel and exciting ways, revealing so much more about their design and manufacture, their capabilities and use,” Rebecca Flemming, a classics professor at Exeter, said in the release.

It was discovered that the scalpel handle was carefully designed for long-term use.

“You can see the attention devoted to crafting the socket where the iron scalpel blade was originally inserted into the bronze handle,” Fleming said, noting that it would have allowed for worn-out blades to be easily replaced.

Roman surgeons likely used the scalpel for a number of different procedures and operations, including bloodletting, the act of opening veins to draw blood.

The probe, on the other hand, would have been used for exploratory purposes, such as to examine wounds or fractures. It also had a less hazardous use: clearing out earwax.

Additionally, the spoon was likely used by surgeons to blend different types of medicine, while the needles might have helped sew bandages.

“It is fascinating to find out more about the material…” Megan Woolley, coordinator of the Devon and Exeter Medical Heritage Trust, which houses the items, said in the release.

“And having models of historical objects means people can handle them and help us to discover much more about how they would have been used,” Woolley added.

Numerous other medical instruments from the Roman period have been found across Europe, including forceps and a bone drill, which were found in Hungary in 2023, according to The New York Times.

This story was originally published July 18, 2024 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Ancient Roman medical tools were found 125 years ago. Now, scans reveal their purpose."