Medical Instruments in the Brandeis Classical Studies Artifact Research Collection

58 Pages·2014·3.05 MB·English

by  Elizabeth Allen

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
Medical Instruments in the
Brandeis Classical Studies
Artifact Research
Collection
Categorization and XRF Analysis

Elizabeth Allen
4/28/2014

Advisors: Ann Koloski-Ostrow, Andrew Koh, and Casey Wade
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page Numbers

Acknowledgements 1

Introduction 2

Chapter 1 3 - 19

Descriptions and Categorizations

Chapter 2 20 - 23
XRF Analysis

Chapter 3 24 - 27

Date Speculations, Source Metal Provenance, and
Conclusions

Appendix A 28 - 33
Instruments in CLARC

Appendix B 534 - 34
Comparison Pictures

Appendix C 36- 55
XRF Data and Spectra

Bibliography 56
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Acknowledgements

Thank you to Professor Andrew Koh for his help and support in choosing a chemical analysis
strategy, as well as in our travels with the instruments to MIT.

Thank you to Professor Casey Wade for his invaluable help in connecting with the MIT labs, for
his analysis advice and aid, and for being the science reader on my Classical Studies thesis.

Thank you to Professor Leonard Muellner for connecting me with Professor Scott Johnson, and
thank you to Professor Johnson for his Greek translation on Instrument 9.

Thank you to Dr. Joshua Guske for sharing his knowledge of XRF and its analysis, as well as
countless e-mail exchanges.

Thank you to Dr. Scott Speakman for collecting the actual data in the lab and for the initial
analysis help.

And lastly, but certainly not least, thank you to the wonderful Professor Ann Olga Koloski-
Ostrow (AOKO) for mentoring me, guiding me, and supporting me throughout the whole thesis
process.
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Introduction
Since ancient times, man has worked to heal his brother from illness and injury,
sometimes successfully, sometimes futilely. This wholly human quest, this ageless desire to help
one another, reveals itself in both ancient literature and the archaeological record, including in
the Classical Studies Artifact Research Collection (CLARC) at Brandeis University. The
collection in CLARC consists of over eight hundred ancient artifacts given by different donors,
ranging from the early Bronze Age to the late Roman period, and with provenances (if at all
known) that vary from the Mediterranean region to the Middle East.1 Within CLARC are twenty
instruments that are designated as medical, and those are the instruments that serve as the topic
of this thesis.
Referring to these ancient tools as "medical," however, is a rather nebulous classification.
Certain instruments were commonly used concurrently as makeup applicators or mixers, or for
other domestic purposes. Since the Romans held no understanding of germs, at least in the
context of modern science; assigning a dual purpose for these tools may also have simply made
economical sense. Perhaps such instruments existed on the domestic scene first, and eventually
were borrowed for use in surgical, medical use, and medical diagnosis.2

1 Department of Classical Studies, Brandeis University, "Classical Studies Artifact Research Collection (CLARC)."
(Accessed March 13, 2014), http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/classics/clarc/index.html.
2 John Kirkup, The Evolution of Surgical Instruments: An Illustrated History from Ancient Times to the Twentieth
Century, Norman Surgery Series, No. 13 (Novato, CA: Norman Publishing, 2005), 15-16.
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Chapter 1
Descriptions and Categorization
I have designated eight different forms to categorize the medical instruments in CLARC.
Examples of these forms have been found at other archaeological sites such as Pompeii, and their
uses have been documented by ancient authors like Hippocrates, Galen, and many others. These
eight forms include specilli (basic probes), spathomele (spatula-probes), cyathiscomele (scoop-
probes), needle-probes, stylus-spatulas, cauteries, spoons/scoops, bone elevators, and an
unknown form on which I speculate. Some of the more similar instruments, such as spathomele
and cyathiscomele, are more difficult to classify definitively, which many archaeologists have
also noted.
Probes vary greatly in their shape and size; besides differences in basic length and width,
the tapering of the tip can change based on the intended use of the probe and also the general
craftsmanship used to produce it. Some shafts taper down into sharp points, while in others the
thickness of the shaft is maintained all the way through. The tip may then simply round off, or
form a slight oval enlargement known as an olivary.3 This simple shape, which varied slightly
depending on its specific use, offered a wide range of function to the ancient doctor. In addition,
probes often provided a double-ended function, which furthered their usefulness.
The translation of the word specillum is "probe" or "sound."4 This designation makes
sense considering the very basic function of a probe, which was to explore various openings and
aspects of wounds, as well as the body in general. As John Milne notes, "The ancients were fully
aware of the value of information to be gained by searching the recesses of a legion with a rod of

3 John S. Milne, Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times (New York: Augustus M. Kelley, 1970), 53.
4 D.A. Kidd, Collins Latin-English English-Latin Dictionary (London: Collins, 1963).
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metal."5 For example, probes could be used in lithotomy to search for bladder stones,6 or, as
Milne also describes, "correcting malpositions of the uterus and dilating and applying
medicaments to the interior of the cervix."7 Celsus notes the exploration of a fistula (abnormal
connection between an organ, tissue, etc) using a probe:
"But first it goes well to put a probe into the fistula to learn where it goes and how
deeply it reaches, also whether it is moist or rather dry as is evident when the
probe is withdrawn. Further, if there be bone adjacent, it is possible to learn
whether the fistula has entered it or not and how deeply it has caused disease."8

One can imagine, as Celsus describes above, that probes were used to explore a wide variety of
injuries and diagnose their severity. Some probes were also specially made to be wrapped around
with wool, and could then be used to apply medicines;9 when the wool was saturated with liquid,
the probe could also introduce certain medicines into smaller cavities of the body, such as the ear
or even onto the eye.10 Other wrapped probes were used to wipe up discharge from wounds.11
Probes could even be used in surgery, specifically by using the back as a separator or retractor.12
While probes were employed for a variety of functions by physicians, because they are found in
large numbers all over the Roman world, one can conclude that they were also used as toilet
articles in a domestic sense; just as they could be used to apply medicines, they could also be
used to apply makeup.13

5 Ibid 52.
6 Kirkup The Evolution 66.
7 Milne 80.
8 quoted on Milne 53.
9 Ibid 54.
10 Kirkup The Evolution 165.
11 Milne 54.
12 Ibid 66.
13 Lawrence J. Bliquez, Roman Surgical Instruments and Other Minor Objects in the National Archaeological
Museum of Naples (Gergrunder Mainz: Verlag Philip von Zabern, 1994), 46.
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CLARC contains one simple probe, or specillum. At about eleven centimeters long, the
tail is rounded off simply, the head is shaped like a snake, and the shaft undulates like a snake's
body (See Appendix A, Figures 27-29 for more images).

Image 1: Instrument 19 in CLARC (specillum),
approximately 11 cm long (author's own image)
Based on the uses of probes given by ancient authors, as well as images of identified probes
found in the Naples area,14 presumably Pompeii, this identification is fairly certain (see
Appendix B, Figure 1 for pictures of probes from Pompeii). The snake form of this particular
probe exemplifies the uncertainty and fear that was probably often present during surgery and/or
medical examinations. The snake symbol represented Asclepius (in the Greek tradition), or
Aesculapius, (in the Roman tradition), the god of healing in both Greek and Roman mythology.
According to Hesiod, he is the son of the god Apollo; hence he has inherited his father's healing
skills.15 Having such a form on one's probe would perhaps offer comfort to a patient, considering
the uncertainty and often risk of ancient medicine. Milne notes a probe from his own collection
that also takes the form of the snake of Aesculapius,16 (see Appendix B, Figure 2) which shows
that a snake-shaped probe was probably common, and certainly not unique to the instrument in
CLARC.

14 Milne 56, Plate X Figures 3 and 4.
15 Michael Stapleton, The Illustrated Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology (New York: Peter Bedrick Books,
Inc., 1986), pg. 19, 40.
16 Milne 56, Plate XI, Figure 4.
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Another type of probe, the spathomele (spatula-probe), is the most abundant type in
CLARC; four of these instruments reside in the collection. As with the specillum, I identified
these instruments based on pictures of ancient instruments in other collections and museums (see
Appendix B, Figure 3). The heads of these Greco-Roman instruments which Sɵren Holth
describes17 are similar to the ones in CLARC, as contrasted with the heads of the spathomele that
Milne and Bliquez categorize (see Appendix B, Figure 4 for images). As will be explored when
discussing cyathiscomele, classifying and differentiating between different types of probes can
be difficult, especially when looking at the type of spatula head. Time period, location of
manufacture, degradation over time, and specific function of the instrument influences exactly
what the spatula head looks like.
The first, Instrument 6 in CLARC, is about fourteen centimeters long. In addition to a
probe-like tail, the instrument has a flattened head decorated with a small line pattern (see
Appendix A, Figures 6 and 7 for more images).

Image 2: Instrument 6 in CLARC (spathomele),
approximately 14 cm long (author's own image)

The second spathomele, Instrument 7, is about thirteen centimeters long, in a similar style as
Instrument 6, except that the flattened head is more elongated. The craftsmanship of Instrument 7

17 Sɵren Holth, Greco-Roman and Arabic Bronze Instruments and Their Medico-Surgical Uses (Kristiania: I
Kommission Hos J. Dybwad, 1919), 8.
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is slightly cruder than Instrument 6, suggesting an older age, although deposits and other buildup
over time may be influencing this observation (see Appendix A, Figure 8 for another image).

Image 3: Instrument 7 in CLARC (spathomele),
approximately 13 cm long (author's own image)
Instrument 8, the third spathomele, is approximately fifteen and a half centimeters long. Here,
the craftsmanship seems cruder than both Instrument 6 and 7. The shaft is not very straight,
perhaps indicating an older time period when techniques may not have been refined enough to
produce a rigid structure. This may, however, have been a purposeful strategy on the part of the
metalworker when designing the instrument, so making certain conclusions is difficult. Again,
deposits and buildup could also be affecting the general older appearance of the instrument (see
Appendix A, Figure 9 for another image).

Image 4: Instrument 8 in CLARC (spathomele),
approximately 15.5 cm long (author's own image)

The final spathomele in CLARC is Instrument 10, which is approximately 12.6 cm long. A small
grooved design is near the flattened head; this head is elongated and slightly smaller than that of
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Instrument 8, more like the head of Instrument 7. The head also seems slightly damaged and
bent; whether this is due to age or a purposeful design by the manufacturer, is difficult to tell (see
Appendix A, Figure 14 for more images).

Image 5: Instrument 10 in CLARC (spathomele),
approximately 12.6 cm long (author's own image)
Spathomele, or spatula-probes, are found in abundance in the ancient world. Just as with
specilli, this suggests that their use probably was not just medical.18 Kirkup notes that these
probe sub-types were probably more often used to measure and mix cosmetics or artistic paints.19
In a medical setting, however, the probe end could be used just as a specillum would, or for
stirring medicinal mixtures; the other, more flattened end could be used to spread the mixture on
the wound, afflicted area, or even on lint to be used as a bandage.20 Spathomele could even
function as tongue depressors, cauteries, or blunt dissectors in surgery,21 exemplifying the fact
that ancient doctors often employed many uses for their tools, changing application as
availability dictated or a certain situation arose.
The next instrument type found in CLARC is the cyathiscomele, or scoop-probe.
Instruments for identification comparisons came from both Milne22 and Bliquez23 (see Appendix
B, Figures 4 and 5). Two examples of cyathiscomele are in the Brandeis collection. The first is

18Ibid 59.
19 Kirkup The Evolution 165.
20 Milne 58.
21Ibid 59-60.
22Ibid 62 and 65.
23 Bliquez 146.