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Ancient Artificial Eye Unearthed in Iran
dsc.discovery.com — Around the time that the great pyramids were built in Egypt and Stonehenge was erected in England, a young woman living in what is now Iran lost an eye and was fitted with a prosthetic device. The find supports speculation that such prosthetics were available to a fortunate few in the ancient world. The newly found eye looked like the real thing.
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- frostedflakes, on 10/12/2007, -3/+28To avoid all that crap on the website:
Ancient Artificial Eye Unearthed in Iran
Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News
Dec. 18, 2006 — Around the time that the great pyramids were built in Egypt and Stonehenge was erected in England, a young woman living in what is now Iran lost an eye and was fitted with a prosthetic device.
The 4,800-year-old artificial eye was recently found by archaeologists working at the Burnt City historical site in southeastern Iran, according to a report published by the Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies, a London-based research and educational program.
The find supports speculation that such prosthetics were available to a fortunate few in the ancient world. An early Hebrew text, for example, references a woman who wore an artificial eye made of gold.
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The newly found eye isn't gold, but it probably looked more like the real thing.
"At first glance, it seems natural tar mixed with animal fat has been used in making [the eye]," said archaeologist Mansur Sayyed-Sajadi, who is directing the excavation. Further testing will be needed to determine its exact composition.
Sayyed-Sajadi added that whoever made the eye likely used a fine golden wire, thinner than half a millimeter, to draw "even the most delicate eye capillaries."
Parallel lines were also drawn around the pupil to form a diamond shape.
Two holes at the sides helped hold it in place in the woman's eye socket. Sayyed-Sajadi said remaining eyelid tissues are still evident on the eyeball, as are markings that suggest the woman developed an abscess in her eyelid due to frequent contact with the object.
The eyeball was found with the skeletal remains of its wearer in an early cemetery. The researchers believe the woman was between 25 and 30 years old when she died.
Clay vessels, ornamental beads, a leather sack and a bronze mirror were also found in her grave.
Michael Harris, a senior lecturer in optometry at the University of California at Berkeley, said the objects, as well as the effort it must have taken to prepare and fit the woman for the artificial eye, suggest she was a member of the elite.
"It's unlikely such attention and effort would have been paid to a commoner," Harris said. "She may have been a member of a royal family or an otherwise wealthy individual."
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Harris said the primary reason for the artificial eyeball would not have been medical.
"She could have worn a patch, but perhaps her family wanted her to look her best for public appearances," he explained.
He added that "it's amazing how advanced some scientists were in the past at coming up with creative, innovative solutions to problems."
Archaeologists continue to work at the Burnt City site, which has also offered up the world's oldest dice and backgammon game, the earliest known caraway seed and the world's oldest "animated picture," which was drawn around an earthenware bowl.
PICTURES:
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/12/18/gallery/eyeball2_goto.jpg
http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2006/12/18/gallery/eyeball_goto.jpg- Petrarch1603, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6that is good because that site is filtered in Iran. I just talked to my persian friend and she can't access it from her university
- 0o0Moylan0o0, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5"The newly found eye looked like the real thing."
No it looked like a black ball with brown veins going everywhere through it - webcrumb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You mean that's not what my eye is supposed to look like...? Time to see a doctor...
- Nathan07, on 10/12/2007, -14/+35Inaccurate title. It is a prosthetic eye, not an artificial one, which implies functionality as an eye.
- ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -9/+30Lol, you thought it was a functional eye?
Well it was. I found an ancient Persian text and it gave me powers, I'll sell it to you for only $10,000. Reply if you'r interested with your bank details and I'll send it to your address. - devindotcom, on 10/12/2007, -1/+41It is inaccurate, but you don't have to be all bitchy about it.
- Software2, on 10/12/2007, -11/+6It does have the functionality of a natural eye. By placing it in your head you stop little kids from going "Eeew! Gross! Mommy, that lady has no eye!" in a crowded public area, embarrassing the eyeless and mother alike.
If that's not why we have eyes, I don't wanna have 'em! - queefer, on 10/12/2007, -9/+6Eye see...
- nikoniko, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Artificial eye also refers to ocular prosthetics, and has done so for a long time... just check out the many prosthetics companies which describe their products as such. For goodness' sake, in England there's even the National Artificial Eye Service!
Words are defined by how they're used, not how you wish them to be used. - Midnightbrewer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You could argue that prosthetic implies that it should function as a full replacement eye, including vision. Artificial simply means that it's not natural, not that it restores sight. Should we start referring to artificial flavoring as prosthetic flavoring?
- webcrumb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Does an artificial Christmas tree function as a tree? No. It doesn't grow, but it looks the same. Therefore, if we don't buy a real trees we should be buying prosthetic trees?
- ardenr, on 10/12/2007, -9/+30Lol, you thought it was a functional eye?
- modiggs1976, on 10/12/2007, -7/+22At one point the Middle East was the cradle of civilization. At one point America was the home of inventors. Now scientists are being bullied by religious bigots in America and Iran. I wish the Middle East especially will change its current system of autocratic bullying. I am an Arab-American atheist with a Muslim mother. I am not a bigot, I simply wish the intimidation of intellectuals would stop and the Middle East could go back to furthering civilization rather than being hellbent on destroying it.
- Morsetlis, on 10/12/2007, -10/+4Well you could try asking Santa.
It is near Christmas you know. - Software2, on 10/12/2007, -18/+5WTF does anything you said have to do with this story?
- modiggs1976, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10@software:
Well the eye was an ancient artifact. Surely an advanced civilization would have made a prosthetic eye so early in humankind's development. I was lamenting the fact that back then the Middle East was a wellspring of progress and now it's fast becoming it's biggest threat.
Either way, I do not care for your tone. This is a social bookmarking news site not a WWE message board. A simple "bury" will do. Your tone, by the way, is why I buried your comment. - hiPpymIck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@modiggs1976
..erm.....i think he meant the post after yours...
youre being Dugg UP - modiggs1976, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@hiPpymick and Software:
Haha, well I am really embarrassed.I owe you an apology Software. Wow. Thanks Hippy. - jiggawoot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@ hiPpymIck
You think so? I have a feeling you may be wrong on this one tiger. - marinist, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You know, they had state religions back in ancient Media/Persia too, often involving the ruler as your deity. If you didn't give him proper respect, things didn't go well for you. Also, if you worked under a court official, you might be sacrificed and buried when your boss died. Not so nice, but I guess they did have their innovation.
- hiPpymIck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Peace and Love .......and Digg
- modiggs1976, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@Marinist: True, but most ancient civilizations had very autocratic regimes. Egyptians, Romans. Only the Greeks, Chinese and Sumerians were "nice." For that matter American politics was awful during the time of the great inventors. Samuel Morse was an outspoken proponent for slavery. But Islamic fundamentalism and the Christian right began to gain popularity in response to Marxism. Whatever, I don't want to take thread too off topic, suffice it to say I admit you taught me something new today.
- Morsetlis, on 10/12/2007, -10/+4Well you could try asking Santa.
- whitema, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5Umm. "Looks like the real thing." Well maybe if the criteria include spherical and inserted into eyesocket. Beyond that.... I'll just stick with my ping-pong ball prosthetic.
- yuravian, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1See, thing is, sometimes, things get old. When they get old they 'deteriorate'. That means that their physical properties may change, including color, shape, size... It may have looked just like an eye at one point.
- flamingmb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6looks like she is smiling.
- hiPpymIck, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2looks like she is the Alien
- modiggs1976, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Why make Ready to Wear a caption? Of all the captions, they need to use a crappy Robert Altman film?
- crashflow, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8are they sure its a prosthetic eye and not, say, the reason she's dead?
"Timmy, stop playing with the slingshot. You can take someone's eye out w....ARRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!" - reboare, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1It looks like a goat left a turd in her eyesocket.
- thegcinfo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Wouldn't it be funny if it was found out that some people were joking around and put the thing in the eye socket just to see if scientists would get all worked up about finding a prosthetic eye in a mummy?
- Klowner, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I guess I don't see skulls that often, but does that jaw seem unusually large?
- harmonic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3uhhh, it looks nothing like an eye because anything that has been around for 4800 years tends to not look like it did when it was made, especially when it's underground.
idiots. - smartass007, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2::singing:: ...and eye raaaaan, iran so far awaayyyyyy
digg me down- djKianoosh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0hahaha.. @smartass, I'm iranian and I used to sing that song as a kid all the time.. it was hilarious to me.. it was recently in that Grand Theft Auto Vice City soundtrack too, so much fun. hahah. thanks for the morning laugh..
as for the story, I think it's pretty cool. I'm sure the ancients of the world (not just in the area that is now the middle east) all had really amazing inventions. We will never know about all of them unfortunately. Some inventions are probably lost forever too. I guess it's human nature. We take things for granted and don't preserve them. Look at all the other little artifacts in the tomb with the woman. I bet the historians and archaeologists are really happy with the find.
- djKianoosh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0hahaha.. @smartass, I'm iranian and I used to sing that song as a kid all the time.. it was hilarious to me.. it was recently in that Grand Theft Auto Vice City soundtrack too, so much fun. hahah. thanks for the morning laugh..
- CyberGhost, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3That woman had perfect teeth anyone notice?
- troon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3No sugar, no more than 30 years old.
Take a look at many African tribes without access to refined sugar today. Fantastic teeth, especially contrasted against black skin.
But then, I am British... - webcrumb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Because only modern civilisation knows how to brush their teeth? People are not thick. They were not thick, they will not be thick. I hate the assumption that people in any time period were less intelligent, especially when we can't work out now how the hell they built stuff then... if anything, we are less intelligent /now/.
- djKianoosh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0please webcrumb, it's clear the mental capacity of an average human today is exceedingly greater than that of our ancestors from thousands of years ago. and yes, I'm talking about knowledge, intelligence, and even wisdom. we are leaps and bounds more intelligent as a whole and on average. granted, there are some among us who hold us back. but there's the Darwin award for them. :)
- troon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3No sugar, no more than 30 years old.
- elroyel1327, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Was I the only one who hoped that this was an article about a stargate?
- mbondr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Did it have a fork stuck in it?
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