Ancient clay tablet reveals earliest diagnosis of infertility
KAYSERI, Turkey — In a groundbreaking archaeological discovery, researchers in Turkey have uncovered a 4,000-year-old clay tablet bearing what is believed to be the first recorded medical diagnosis of infertility. The artifact, inscribed in cuneiform, hails from the Syriac-Assyrian Empire and sheds light on advanced medical practices of the ancient world.
The Syriac (Aramean-Chaldean-Assyrian) people in Beth Nahrin (Mesopotamia) were pioneers of their era. Renowned for their contributions to writing, mathematics, and other sciences, they also made remarkable strides in medicine.
The tablet, translated by archaeologists from Urhoy (Urfa) University in Turkey, details a case involving a man and woman unable to conceive a child. It offers not only a diagnosis but also a proposed solution: a surrogate pregnancy. The text describes an arrangement whereby a surrogate woman, typically a servant, would carry the child in her womb in exchange for an agreed-upon sum—a practice strikingly similar to modern-day surrogacy.
The conditions for such arrangements were strictly codified. The surrogate would gain her freedom if she delivered a male child. However, if the fetus did not survive, she would remain a servant. Additionally, the agreement could only be pursued if the couple had failed to conceive after 2 years of marriage.
This ancient solution reflects the complex interplay of law, medicine, and societal norms in the Syriac-Assyrian Empire. While the tablet highlights the ingenuity of ancient medical practitioners, it also underscores the profound challenges of infertility—a universal human experience that transcends time and culture.
The discovery not only deepens our understanding of Syriac people contributions to medicine but also offers a poignant glimpse into the lives, struggles, and hopes of people who lived millennia ago.