Artifacts

Archaeologists exploring the Roman-era ruins of Heraclea Sintica in southwestern Bulgaria have made an exceptionally rare discovery - a 1,800-year-old bronze surgical instrument used for the painful procedure of removing bladder stones. The specialized tool (known in antiquity as a lithulkos) has provided a unique glimpse into the advanced medical practices of the ancient Roman world. The finding, announced on July 3, was published by excavation director Professor Lyudmil Vagalinski of Archaeologia Bulgarica. This surgical instrument was part of an advanced kit used by ancient surgeons to perform a lithotomy, the delicate and dangerous procedure to extract bladder stones. According to researchers, this find is highly significant as only one other comparable instrument has ever been discovered, which was found