Ancient surgical materials found in Zerzevan

DİYARBAKIR

Archaeological excavations that have been carried out in the 3,000-year-old Zerzevan Castle and Mithras Sanctuary in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır's Çınar district have unearthed surgical materials.

Landscaping and restoration works are continuing in the castle and sanctuary, which was the last garrison of the Roman Empire in the east and is one of the places in Türkiye on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Temporary List.

The surgical materials that were used in the treatment of warriors injured in wars or military training date back 1,800 years.

Stating that thousands of artifacts have been unearthed, Associate Professor Aytaç Coşkun, Dicle University's (DU) Archaeology Department lecturer and the head of excavations, said that there was also a large operating room in the area.

“We uncovered important findings during the excavations in Zerzevan Castle this year. The most important of these is the surgical instruments we have newly discovered. This place is a Roman garrison. Around 1,200 soldiers from the legion unit were here. We know that there are professor doctors who acted together with the soldiers. Many surgical operations were performed here. Because injuries occurred both during wartime and during training. There must be a large operating room here, these instruments belonged to the operating room. These tools were unearthed in the sanctuary. These are 12-centimeter small tools.”

Noting that both sides of the tools were used, Coşkun said: “Due to time limitations, operating room instruments were produced to be used on both sides. One side was used for piercing, and the other side was used as a spatula for cutting and lifting the skin. They were made of bronze and used in serious injuries. We see that both the piercing and cutting parts are quite sharp. Work still continues. Our goal is also to unearth the hospital where these materials were used. As excavations continue, we will find many more tool.”

Stating that the works to come to the surface during the excavations will be exhibited in the museum, which is set to be finished next year, Coşkun said: “We initiated excavations in 2014 and continue digging for 12 months of the year. It will never end. The tools have been unearthed in the Mithras Sanctuary. But we will go deeper. They probably came to surface in time. The operating room is also upstairs. After we finish the Mitras Sanctuary, the place where the operations took place will be revealed."

"Thousands of tools were unearthed in the castle. The operating room materials we found are from 1,800 years ago. We also found many artifacts dating back 3,000 years. They will be exhibited in the museum. This year, 400,000 people visited the area. There will be 1 million visitors next year,” he added.

Zerzevan Castle and the sanctuary are located 13 kilometers away from the city’s Çınar district. Mithraism, also known as the Mithraic mysteries or the Cult of Mithras, was a Roman mystery religion centered on the god Mithras.

Mithrasists, the worshippers of Mithras, who are said to come to the temple from all over the world, are believed to spend the night once a year in the temple, according to archaeological data.