Due to the age of the artifacts discovered in the site, archaeologists believe the city was abandoned around 2350 BC, though it is unclear if a fire was the ultimate reason for the city’s sudden abandonment. This site is called “ the Burnt City ” because most of the city had been burnt by multiple fires starting in around 3200 BC. Shahr-e Sukhteh is the archaeological site of an ancient Bronze Age urban settlement in what is now southeastern Iran. The world’s oldest fake eye was discovered in the “Burnt City” in Iran in 2006 and it dated from 2900-2800 BC! ( Pigorini National Museum of Prehistory and Ethnography ) Iran’s Burnt City and the Oldest Ever Fake Eye By analyzing the structure, location, and purpose of the ancient prosthetic, we can infer more about the Burnt City itself as well as how this creation shaped medical advancement over time. Detailed craftsmanship of the eye also reveals early ideas regarding light, sight, and the purpose of prosthetics.

The discovery of this eye reveals the ancient history of prosthetics including eyes, legs, and arms. Archaeologists determined that this eye is from approximately 2900-2800 BC and was found still embedded in the eye socket of a woman’s skull. The world’s oldest prosthetic eye, for example, was discovered in Iran’s “Burnt City” in 2006. Though prosthetics may seem like a more recent medical development, they actually have one of the oldest origins in medical history. Besides improving the physical appearance of the patient needing the artificial eye, fake eyes also prevent tissues in the eye socket from overgrowing and prevent foreign debris from entering the eye without a bandage or eyepatch. Believe it or not, fake eyes have existed for thousands of years.

Art history from 2800 bc to 0 ad