The Cairo Toe (1000 BCE) is one of the oldest functional prosthetics. It was designed for a high status woman and was made of durable materials like wood and leather. There is evidence it was refitted several times and would likely have improved mobility and balance. The toe was amputated while the woman was alive, as it had healed over. While early research had indicated that prosthetics were used to prepare bodies for the afterlife, this was the first one that was functional during the life of the amputee. The Cartonnage Toe (600 BCE) was an aesthetic prosthesis with an inlaid toenail which was unlikely to have been as functionally useful as it was produced from painted linen and paper- mache, and was perhaps made for someone of lower status.
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