"Rare 300-Year-Old Gold and Copper Prosthesis Unearthed in Poland"

Archaeologists in Poland have discovered a 300-year-old gold and copper medical prosthesis in the mouth of a man buried in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Krakow. Described as the first of its kind in Poland and possibly in Europe, the device, known as a palatal obturator, was designed to replace the man's missing hard palate due to a cleft palate. The finely crafted device consists of a metal plate attached to a woolen pad, with traces of gold, copper, and silver found in its composition. This exceptional discovery sheds light on ancient medical history and the use of prosthetics to address health problems.