Australian Aborigines

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGENES

The first cuneiform texts appeared at the dawn of the Sumerian civilization in the period between 3500-3100 BCE. Due to the fact that before this interval there was no writing, an older text mentioning ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) will never be found. Perhaps a drawing or pictogram of it will be found on a stone.

Our assumption is inspired by the study of the rock art of the Australian Aborigines in the style of «X-ray art». Ancient artists, depicting animals and people, often drew bones, internal and external organs, and also designated joints. The minimum age of the early X-ray painting on the western Arnhem Land Escarpment in northern Australia is 5068-6636 years (2017JonesT_WesleyD). Here, in the area of the Burrungui (Nourlangie) and Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II) shelters, rich in rock art, human settlements existed 24-20 Kya (2017MaySK_SanzID). Modern comprehensive analysis indicates the beginning of the settlement of Australia and the territory near Madjedbebe in the period 50-45 Kya (2018O’ConnellJF_CooperA). Accordingly, this is the line before which the visual art of the indigenous people cannot be found.

Among the X-ray paintings available to us for review, we did not find a clear drawing of the LCF in the projection of the hip joints. However, in one of the images «Nabulwinjbulwinj» (Nourlangie Anbangbang Rock Shelter, Northern Territory of Australia) the femur, its head, diaphysis and distal metaepiphysis are clearly outlined. In the area of the femurs and shins a network of intersecting zigzag lines is drawn. It may have depicted a cord-like system of the body (tendons-ligaments-nerves-vessels) surrounding the skeletal system. Also traced is a schematic outline of the knee joint in the form of an oblique-horizontal line and a hip joint, where an arcuate joint space is guessed.

Aboriginal rock art, Anbangbang shelter, Kakadu National Park, Australia Author: Thomas Schoch; source: wikimedia.org collection (license CC BY-SA 3.0, color correction).

We studied the drawing in detail, when it was enlarged, cleared its right part from visual defects and digital noise. We have increased the contrast and clarity, and adjusted the color scheme. The main emphasis is on the right lower limb and the hip joint of the same name. As a result, a certain artifact appeared in the lower section of the image of the femoral head. It was connected to a zigzag line by a cord-like system of the femur, following in the distal direction. If our actions were correct, then it cannot be ruled out that the oldest stylized image of LCF has been discovered.

A fragment of a drawing from the Nourlangie region of the Anbangbang rock shelter in the Australian National Park Kakadu; on the right half of the body, we have removed digital defects and made the following designations: 1 - head of the femur; 2 - femoral diaphysis; 3 - distal metaepiphysis of the femur; 4 - knee joint; 5 – tibia diaphysis, arrow indicates the supposed image of LCF (Author of the original photo: Thomas Schoch; Anbangbang Rock Shelter, Kakadu National Park, Australia Date 5 August 2005 Source Thomas Schoch at retas.de).

It is possible to clarify our version only by directly examining the picture in Kakadu National Park. We hope that this study will be carried out someday and will confirm or refute the opinion expressed by us. In any case, the discussed drawing shows one of the earliest schematic images of the human hip joint, aged 24-5 thousand years.

References

Jones T, Levchenko V, Wesley D. How old is X-ray art? Minimum age determinations for early X-ray rock art from the ‘Red Lily’(Wulk) Lagoon rock art precinct, western Arnhem Land. In: David B, Taçon PSC, Delannoy J-JG, Jean-Michel, (Eds). The Archaeology of Rock Art in Western Arnhem Land, Australia, 47. ANU Press, 2017:129-143. [books.google]

May SK, Taçon PSC, Wrigth D, Marshall M, Goldhahn J, Sanz ID. The roc art of Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II). In: David B, Taçon PSC, Delannoy J-JG, Jean-Michel, (Eds). The Archaeology of Rock Art in Western Arnhem Land, Australia, 47. ANU Press, 2017:87-107. [books.google]

O’Connell JF, Allen J, Williams MA, Williams AN, Turney CS, Spooner NA, ... Cooper A. When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2018;115(34)8482-90. [pnas.org]

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, doctrine, drawing, anatomy, Australia, aborigines, observation

The original text in Russian is available at the link: Австралийские аборигены

NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7

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IMAGES AND VIDEOS

999–10 Kya

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NEWS 2026

New publications of our resource in 2026 The initial phase of collecting data on LCF, accumulated prior to the 20th century, is largely complete. Next, we plan to analyze and synthesize thematic information, adding data from the 20th and 21st centuries. The work will focus primarily on: prevention, diagnosis, arthroscopy, plastic surgery, and endoprosthetics. January 14, 2026 2026 ArkhipovSV. THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI FOR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS ( A Novel Technique for Proximal Fixation of Ligamentum Capitis Femoris Reconstruction ). January 05, 2026 2018YoussefAO The article describes a me thod for transposition of the proximal attachment of the LCF in congenital hip dislocation. 2007WengerD_OkaetR The authors demonstrated in the experiment that the strength of the LCF is sufficient to ensure early stability during hip joint reconstruction in children. January 04, 2026 2008 BacheCE _TorodeIP The article describes a method for transposition of the proximal att...

IMPROVING POSTOPERATIVE COMFORT...

Improving Postoperative Comfort and Increasing the Reliability of Hip Prostheses by Supplementing with Artificial Ligaments: Proof of Concept and Prototype Demonstration S.V. Arkhipov, Independent Researcher, Joensuu, Finland CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Introduction [iii] Materials and Methods [iv] Results and Discussion [v] Static Tests [vi] Dynamic Tests [vii] Prototype Fabrication and Testing [viii] Conclusion [ix] References [x] Application [i] Abstract The principle of operation of an experimental total hip endoprosthesis augmented with ligament analogs has been demonstrated in single-leg vertical stances and at the mid-stance phase of the single-support period of gait. The experiments were conducted on a specially designed mechatronic testing rig. The concept of the important role of the ligamentous apparatus is further illustrated by a set of demonstrative mechanical models. The...

1970MichaelsG_MatlesAL

Content [i] Annotation [ii] Original text [iii] References [iv] Source & links [v] Notes [vi] Authors & Affiliations [vii] Keywords [i] Annotation Abstract of the article: Michaels G, Matles AL. The role of the ligamentum teres in congenital dislocation of the hip (1970). The authors proposed an analogy for the role of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) as a “ball and chain control” and noted that it can spontaneously reduce congenital hip dislocation. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 1970MichaelsG_MatlesAL . [ii] Original text Quote p. 199 Many papers in the literature have implicated the ligamentum teres as a hindrance to the late open reduction of a congenitally dislocated hip. Occasionally the ligamentum teres has been reported to be absent. However, in most cases it is hypertrophied and elongated. Our present knowledge confirms the fact that congenital dislocation of t...

11th-15th Century

11th-15th Century Catalog of archived publications of the specified period 11th century 976-1115Theophilus Protospatharius The author writes about the normal anatomy of the LCF and its connective function. 1012-1024Avicenna The author writes about the localization and variant of the pathology LCF, leading to hip dislocation. 1039-1065Giorgi Mtatsmindeli The translator mentions the LCF damage, and notes its presence in animals. 12 th century 1120-1140Judah Halevi The author mentions LCF (גיד) of mammals. 1176-1178(a)Rambam The author mentions the pathology of LCF (גיד) in humans and points out the presence of this structure in animals. 1176-1178(b)Rambam The author writes about the localization of LCF (גיד) ) and distinguishes it from a tendon, blood vessel or nerve. 1185-1235David Kimchi The author writes about the localization, purpose, and injury of the LCF (גיד), and also talks abo...

Catalog. Classifications of LCF Pathology

The classifications are intended to systematize of ligamentum capitis femoris pathology and assist in the development of general approaches to its description, registration, analysis and treatment. Keywords ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, hip joint, histology, pathological anatomy, pathology, trauma INTRODUCTION In Russia, the initial attempts to classify pathology of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) were made by morphologists. The development of arthroscopic surgery has made it possible to identify various, previously undescribed types of LCF pathology, which prompted the development of various modern classifications based on intraoperative observations. Analysis of literature data and our own morphological observations allowed us to propose a General Classification of the Ligamentum Teres Pathology, which has the form of a collection of classifiers, as well as a Classification of Functions of the Ligamentum Teres. The ...

1834MitchellE_KnoxR

Description and drawings of the proximal attachment and blood supply of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) from book Mitchell E, Knox R. Engravings of the ligaments (1834 ). PLATE VI PLATE VI. … 49. The round ligament of the hip-joint, which arises from the sinus in the bottom of the acetabulum and descends into the head of the femur. 50. A portion of it which is thinner and membranous. 51. Portion of a ligament which arises from the outer surface of the ischiatic cavity and surrounds its neck as far as the notch of the acetabulum; there however it makes its way into the acetabulum, passing under the arch of the cotyloid ligament. 52. Branch of the obturator artery. 53. Two twigs which penetrate into the cotyloid cavity along with the ligament 51, to mingle with the round ligament. PLATE VII PLATE VII. Fig. 1. … 19, 19. Remarkable glands, which are concealed in the sinus of the acetabulum. 20. Origin of the exterior ligament which arises fr...

LCF in 2025 (June)

LCF in 2025 ( June ) (Quotes from articles and books published in June 2025 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris) Kuhns, B. D., Kahana-Rojkind, A. H., Quesada-Jimenez, R., McCarroll, T. R., Kingham, Y. E., Strok, M. J., ... & Domb, B. G. (2025). Evaluating a semiquantitative magnetic resonance imaging-based scoring system to predict hip preservation or arthroplasty in patients with an intact preoperative joint space. Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery , hnaf027. [i] academic.oup.com Iglesias, C. J. B., García, B. E. C., & Valarezo, J. P. P. (2025) CONTROLLED GANZ DISLOCATION. EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) - Peer Reviewed Journal. 11(5)1410-13. DOI: 10.36713/epra2013 [ii] researchgate.net Guimarães, J. B., Arruda, P. H., Cerezal, L., Ratti, M. A., Cruz, I. A., Morimoto, L. R., ... & Ormond Filho, A. G. (2025). Hip Microins...

1741HeisterL

Fragments from the book Heister L. Compendium anatomicum… T. I (1741 ). The first edition was published in Latin in 1721; a translation into Russian is also known ( 1757 ГейстерЛ ). Selected fragments of the treatise describe the anatomy and topography ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The author mentions a discussion between Jean-Louis Petit and Nicolas Andry de Bois-Regard regarding the name and function of the LCF ( 1725AndryN ). Quote p. 46 [Lat] ; acetabulum a), pro femoris articulation: in quo minor cavitas pro, glandulæ mucilaginosæ situ commodo; & incisura pro vasorum in hanc glandulam & ligamentum teres b) femoris ingressu; locos insertionis huius ligament; & supercilia cum eorum usu notanda. … Nota b) Haud pridem inter Andryum & Petitum Parisiis lites ortæ sunt, utrum hoc ligamentum vocandum sit teres, an planum. Planum revera in cadaveribus deprehenditur, non teres; attamem usu invaluit, ut præstantissimi etiam Anatomici illud teres appella...

2018YoussefAO

Content [i] Annotation [ii] Original text [iii] References [iv] Source & links [v] Notes [vi] Authors & Affiliations [vii] Keywords [i] Annotation Abstract of the article: Youssef AO. Medial approach open reduction with ligamentum teres partial excision and plication for the management of congenital hip dislocation (2018). The article describes a method for transposition of the proximal attachment of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in congenital hip dislocation. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 2018YoussefAO . [ii] Original text Abstract Because of the known tendency for early redislocation following open reduction, we developed surgical methods for shortening the ligamentum teres to improve immediate postoperative stability when performing medial approach open reduction (MAOR) for the management of developmental dysplasia of the hip. Between 2004 and 2014, 32 patients w...

2008WengerDR_MiyanjiF

Article: Wenger DR et al. Ligamentum teres maintenance and transfer as a stabilizer in open reduction for pediatric hip dislocation: surgical technique and early clinical results (2008). The article describes a method of open reconstruction of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) for hip dysplasia. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 2008WengerDR_MiyanjiF . Ligamentum teres maintenance and transfer as a stabilizer in open reduction for pediatric hip dislocation: surgical technique and early clinical results Wenger DR, Mubarak SJ, Henderson PC, Miyanji F CONTENT [i] Abstract [ii] Introduction [iii] Materials and Methods [iv] Surgical technique & Results [v] Discussion & Conclusion [vi] References [vii] Application [i] Abstract Purpose The ligamentum teres has primarily been considered as an obstruction to reduction in children with developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH). In the ea...

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