Editing Prosthesis (section)

=== Wood and metal prosthetics ===
[[File:Roman artificial leg of bronze. Wellcome M0012307.jpg|thumb|upright|left|The Capua leg (replica)]]
[[File:Shengjindian prosthetic leg, 300-200 BCE.jpg|upright=1.5|thumb|A wooden prosthetic leg from [[Shengjindian cemetery]], circa 300 BCE, [[Turpan Museum]]. This is "the oldest functional leg prosthesis known to date".<ref name=LX>{{cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Xiao |last2=Wagner |first2=Mayke |last3=Wu |first3=Xiaohong |last4=Tarasov |first4=Pavel |last5=Zhang |first5=Yongbin |last6=Schmidt |first6=Arno |last7=Goslar |first7=Tomasz |last8=Gresky |first8=Julia |title=Archaeological and palaeopathological study on the third/second century BC grave from Turfan, China: Individual health history and regional implications |journal=Quaternary International |date=21 March 2013 |volume=290-291 |pages=335–343 |doi=10.1016/j.quaint.2012.05.010 |bibcode=2013QuInt.290..335L |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2012.05.010 |issn=1040-6182|quote=Ten radiocarbon dates on the prosthesis, human bones and wood pieces from the same grave suggest the most probable age of the burial is about 300–200 BC (68% confidence interval), thus introducing the oldest functional leg prosthesis known to date.|url-access=subscription }}</ref>]]
[[File:Eiserne Hand Glasnegativ 6 cropped.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Iron prosthetic hand believed to have been owned by Götz von Berlichingen (1480–1562)]]
[[File:Ambroise Pare; prosthetics, mechanical hand Wellcome L0023364.jpg|thumb|upright|"Illustration of mechanical hand", {{Circa|1564}}]]
[[File:Iron artificial arm, 1560-1600. (9663806794).jpg|thumb|Artificial iron hand believed to date from 1560 to 1600]]
[[Pliny the Elder]] also recorded the tale of a Roman general, [[Marcus Sergius]], whose right hand was cut off while campaigning and had an [[Iron hand (prosthesis)|iron hand]] made to hold his shield so that he could return to battle. A famous and quite refined<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.karlofgermany.com/Goetz.htm |title=The Iron Hand of the Goetz von Berlichingen |publisher=Karlofgermany.com |access-date=2009-11-03}}</ref> historical prosthetic arm was that of [[Götz von Berlichingen]], made at the beginning of the 16th century. The first confirmed use of a prosthetic device, however, is from 950 to 710 BC. In 2000, research pathologists discovered a mummy from this period buried in the Egyptian necropolis near ancient Thebes that possessed an artificial big toe. This toe, consisting of wood and leather, exhibited evidence of use. When reproduced by bio-mechanical engineers in 2011, researchers discovered that this ancient prosthetic enabled its wearer to walk both barefoot and in Egyptian style sandals. Previously, the earliest discovered prosthetic was an artificial [[Roman Capua Leg|leg from Capua]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Finch |first1=Jacqueline |title=The ancient origins of prosthetic medicine |journal=The Lancet |date=February 2011 |volume=377 |issue=9765 |pages=548–9 |doi=10.1016/s0140-6736(11)60190-6 |pmid=21341402 |s2cid=42637892 }}</ref>

Around the same time, [[François de la Noue]] is also reported to have had an iron hand, as is, in the 17th century, [[Cavalier de la Salle|René-Robert Cavalier de la Salle]].<ref>{{cite book|date=1887|publisher=S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington|place=London|url=https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofca00bryc |title=A Short History of the Canadian People|author=Bryce, Geore}}</ref> [[Henri de Tonti]] had a prosthetic hook for a hand. During the Middle Ages, prosthetics remained quite basic in form. Debilitated knights would be fitted with prosthetics so they could hold up a shield, grasp a lance or a sword, or stabilize a mounted warrior.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Friedman|first1=Lawrence|title=The Psychological Rehabilitation of the Amputee|date=1978|publisher=Charles C. Thomas|location=Springfield, IL.}}</ref> Only the wealthy could afford anything that would assist in daily life.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Breiding |first=Authors: Dirk H. |title=Arms and Armor—Common Misconceptions and Frequently Asked Questions {{!}} Essay {{!}} The Metropolitan Museum of Art {{!}} Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/aams/hd_aams.htm |access-date=2024-04-15 |website=The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History |date=October 2004 |language=en}}</ref>

One notable prosthesis was that belonging to an Italian man, who scientists estimate replaced his amputated right hand with a knife.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sciencealert.com/medieval-lombard-man-amputated-arm-knife-prosthesis|title=This Medieval Italian Man Replaced His Amputated Hand With a Weapon|last=Starr|first=Michelle|work=ScienceAlert|access-date=2018-04-17|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Micarelli |first1=I |last2=Paine |first2=R |last3=Giostra |first3=C |last4=Tafuri |first4=MA |last5=Profico |first5=A |last6=Boggioni |first6=M |last7=Di Vincenzo |first7=F |last8=Massani |first8=D |last9=Papini |first9=A |last10=Manzi |first10=G |title=Survival to amputation in pre-antibiotic era: a case study from a Longobard necropolis (6th-8th centuries AD) |journal=Journal of Anthropological Sciences |date=31 December 2018 |volume=96 |issue=96 |pages=185–200 |doi=10.4436/JASS.96001 |pmid=29717991 }}</ref> Scientists investigating the skeleton, which was found in a [[Longobard]] cemetery in [[Povegliano Veronese]], estimated that the man had lived sometime between the 6th and 8th centuries AD.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2018/04/12/archaeologists-find-ancient-knife-hand-prosthesis-on-medieval-warrior/#1ed6d0339155|title=Archaeologists Find Ancient Knife-Hand Prosthesis on Medieval Warrior|last=Killgrove|first=Kristina|work=Forbes|access-date=2018-04-17|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Materials found near the man's body suggest that the knife prosthesis was attached with a leather strap, which he repeatedly tightened with his teeth.<ref name=":1" />

During the Renaissance, prosthetics developed with the use of iron, steel, copper, and wood. Functional prosthetics began to make an appearance in the 1500s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://unyq.com/the-history-of-prosthetics/|title=The History of Prosthetics|date=2015-09-21|work=UNYQ|access-date=2018-04-17|language=en-US}}</ref>