Prosthetics and Assistive Technology in Ancient Greece and Rome - Jane Draycott

York Disability Week Lecture
The world came together this summer to enjoy the Paralympics in Paris. Audiences cheered on Para athletes competing at the biggest sporting event on the planet, demonstrating their speed, strength and endurance. As well as athletic prowess, the games showcased cutting-edge innovation in specialised assistive technology, such as computer-aided design for customised fits, and intuitive interfaces between body and machine, revolutionising the way Para athletes interact with their environments.
But is all this entirely new? Throughout time humans have designed and innovated to create assistive technology to support disabled people, not only for sport, but in their day-to-day lives. Join us to hear Jane Draycott talk about the fascinating and long history of prosthetics and assistive technology in classical antiquity.
Jane will share her findings from literary, documentary, archaeological, and bioarchaeological evidence, painting us a picture of their importance for the lived experience of people with disabilities in classical antiquity.