At Tel Meggido, one of Israel’s most important archaeological sites, two skeletons were recently discovered in the home of an apparently wealthy family from about 1500 BCE, one of which has a small square-shaped hole in its skull. Although this is not the oldest evidence of an ancient medical procedure known as trephination (or trepanation)—that distinction goes to 40 sets of remains at a 6,500-year-old site in France—it is the oldest ever found in the Middle East. Nathan Steinmeyer writes:
DNA analysis of the bones revealed that the two men were brothers, and both showed signs of genetic defects and systemic infectious diseases. Most surprising, however, were the marks of trephination identified on the skull of the older brother, a rare and dangerous procedure in the ancient world. Only a few dozen cases of trephination have been identified in the ancient Near East, with this example being one of the oldest. According to the excavators, this trephination procedure was likely intended to relieve or treat the patient’s illness.
The brothers’ illnesses were apparently long-lasting, as evidenced by the extensive damage found in their bones in the form of lesions and porosity. Although it is not certain what caused these issues, one explanation is leprosy, which can remain active for decades and is known to spread within families and especially to adolescent males.
It may also be the case that the brothers’ shared genetic defects predisposed them to additional illnesses. . . . Whatever their conditions, the brothers lived long enough for them to leave extensive marks on their physiology. This was at least partially due to their social class, as individuals from lower classes could not afford the care needed to extend life. This is evidenced by the higher percentage of wealthy individuals with signs of long-endured diseases compared to those from lower classes.
Read more on Bible History Daily: https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/brain-surgery-at-canaanite-megiddo/