Roman Bronze Medical Scalpels

Two Roman bronze scalpels: each consists only of the handle, as the iron blade has corroded away and left only rusty remains.

A. Length 8.2 cms, width 1.1 cms.
B. Length 6.6 cms, width 1.7 cms. Body slightly bent around centre.

Date: Circa 1st - 2nd century AD
Condition: Fine condition, with good stable bronze, some patination.
Choice of item A B
Clear selection

This product is currently out of stock and unavailable.

SKU: AS-2070 Category: Tag:

Roman medicine was largely religious and holistic. When Greek surgeons and doctors came to Rome in the third century BC, the practice of medicine advanced drastically. The Roman army had permanent doctors and military hospitals, with one usually in each fort. Civilian medicine did not enjoy such impressive progress, due to the overwhelming risks of infection, blood loss, and pain, which were associated with any surgery delving deeper than the surface. The most common ailments that required doctors were those of the skin, digestion, fertility (and contraception), and fractures.

To find out more about Roman medicine please see our relevant blog post: Roman Medicine and Medical Tools.

Weight 40.26 g
Culture

Metal

Choice of item

,

Region