Ancient surgical tools found

New archaeological evidence suggests that British doctors were carrying out sophisticated surgical operations 2,000 years ago.

Excavations in Colchester, Essex, and detailed research at the British Museum have identified a unique set of 13 surgical instruments which appear to have belonged to the personal doctor of a native British prince in the mid first-century AD.

The discovery - made by Colchester Archaeological Trust - is unique in that it is the first time anywhere in Europe that archaeologists have found a set of ancient surgical instruments that are not of Roman manufacture.

The items - three giant needles, two scalpels, a surgical saw, a pair of tweezers, two double ended hooks, a pair of forceps, a spoon-like probe, an anchor-shaped hook and another tool - are Roman in concept, but not in their detailed design.

Roman surgical instruments were typically composite objects made of iron and bronze, whereas most of these items are made from pieces of iron. What is more, the blade shape and other design features are different from normal Roman examples.

The instruments appear to be native British made and probably represent a merging of Roman and Celtic surgical traditions. They were probably manufactured around the time of the Roman conquest of Britain, or shortly before,

Until the first century AD, Celtic and classical surgical traditions flourished independently of each other in northern and southern Europe. The northern European tradition went back to at least 2,500BC when cranial operations were carried out with flint surgical equipment.

The Colchester surgical kit was found in a grave belonging to a senior member of the retinue of a leading local royal. The surgeon, who died around AD50, was buried in traditional native fashion. Also found in his grave was soothsaying equipment.The finds have gone on public display at Colchester Museum.