Grape-sized stone reveals suffering of man who lived 5,300 years ago
A kidney stone was found in the bones of a man buried 5,300 years ago in Stavropol, southern Russia, revealing his struggle with chronic urinary tract infections.
Translated by Qiyas from الأنباء — Original source
Thousands of years after his death, a small stone found among the bones of a Bronze Age man has revealed a painful condition that likely accompanied him for years before his passing.
The remains belong to a man who died in his forties and was buried approximately 5,300 years ago in an ancient burial mound in the Stavropol region of southern Russia, near the Black Sea.
During an examination of his bones, researchers noticed a round, brown mass measuring about 2.1 centimeters in diameter, resembling a small grape.
Analyses conducted by a team led by anthropologist Natalia Perizhina of Moscow State University showed that the mass was a urinary stone containing the mineral whitlockite, which is associated with the formation of stones linked to bacterial infections.
Scientists believe the man suffered from chronic urinary tract inflammation, which caused him recurrent pain and likely endured for years.
The stone was not his only health issue; his bones also revealed extensive joint wear and old healed fractures, reflecting a hard life likely associated with herding livestock and manual labor.
Researchers do not know whether the stone contributed to his death, but the discovery provides rare evidence of the diseases humans suffered from before the advent of modern medicine.
#Stone #Grape
