Prostheses in Antiquity

Today, a prosthesis is an artificial device that replaces a missing body part, generally designed and assembled according to the individual’s appearance and functional needs with a view to being both as unobtrusive and as useful as possible. In classical antiquity, however, this was not necessarily the case. The ancient literary and documentary evidence for prostheses and prosthesis use is contradictory, and the bioarchaeological and archaeological evidence is enigmatic, but discretion and utility were not necessarily priorities. So, when, howand why did individuals utilise them? This volume, the first to explore prostheses and prosthesis use in classical antiquity, seeks to answer these questions, and will be of interest to academics and students with specialistinterests in classical archaeology, ancient history and history, especially those engaged in studies of healing, medical and surgical practices, or impairment and disability in past societies.

"This book, with its diachronic examples, will undoubtedly serve as a useful resource for scholars with a special interest in the social role(s) of ancient prostheses, as well as those who study broader issues concerning disability studies, bioarchaeology, fragmentation, personhood and identity. Furthermore, the case studies presented here will contribute substantially to our understanding of prostheses and their usage in the ancient Mediterranean." - The Classical Journal"Prostheses in Antiquity is an exciting collection that will appeal to a wide range of experts interested in the subject." - Jaipreet Virdi, University of Delaware

Jane Draycott is Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Research Fellow in Ancient Science and Technology at the University of Glasgow, UK. Previously she was Lecturer in Classics at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Associate Teacher in Roman Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, all in the UK, and 2011–12 Rome Fellow at the British School at Rome, Italy.