Trepanning is the process of drilling a hole in the skull. It was practiced as far back as 10,000 years ago. Archaeological artifacts lend credence to the lore that the process was used by some cultures to expel evil spirits. Apart from that occult-ish application, the process has been used for centuries to ease headache pain and other ailments. Scientists suspect that in some cases it may have actually been beneficial in relieving pressure on the brain.

That’s the definition of trepanning with which I’m familiar. As a matter of fact, until a year ago, it was the only definition I knew.

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