The first ever evidence of amputation surgery was found inside the Indonesian cave.
Researchers have discovered the 31,000-year-old body of a child, which shows signs of leg Amputation.
The research is a step back in the history of this complicated procedure by more than 24,000 years.
After the procedure, the person was taken care of by the ancestral community for many years until their demise, according to archaeologists.
Dr. Melandrivlok, who assessed the body, said the body had been "quite clear" and surgery had been completed.
A thorough study of the body's ancient structure that was described in detail revealed within the journal Nature revealed that the operation occurred while the patient was a young child. The growth and healing of their leg bone suggest that they survived and lived another six to nine more years and likely died in their teens or early twenties.
The grave was discovered in a cave known as Liang Tebo in East Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, which is a location that contains the oldest art of rock.
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Three researchers located and excavated the grave, including Dr. Tim Maloney from Griffith University in Australia. He said he was "excited and terrified" to uncover the ancient bones.
"We very carefully brushed away the deposits and recorded the lower half of the remains. We could see that the left foot was absent, but also that the remaining bone fragments were unusual," the researcher said to BBC News.
"So we were excited at the range of possibilities, including surgery, that had caused this."
The team of excavations then demanded Dr. Vlok, who is located at Sydney's University of Sydney, to look into the remains. "With a discovery like this," she added, "it's a mixture of joy and sadness, as this is what happened to a person.
"This person - a child - experienced so much pain, even if it was 31,000 years ago."
Dr. Maloney explained that because the person who was examined displayed signs of being treated throughout their recovery as well as for the remainder of their lives, The archaeologists believe it was an actual operation, not a punishing or ritual.
"To allow them to live in this mountainous terrain, it's highly likely that the rest of their community invested in their care," the expert said.
Durham University archaeologist Prof Charlotte Robertson from Durham University, who wasn't involved in the research but who did review the findings, said that the findings challenged the idea that surgery and medicine originated very late in human history.
"It shows us that caring is an innate part of being human," she said to the BBC. "We can't underestimate our ancestors."
Amputations, she said, need a deep understanding of the anatomy of the human body in addition to surgical hygiene as well as significant technical expertise.
"Nowadays, we think of Amputations in the western world. It's a secure operation. The patient is treated with anesthesia and sterile procedures, and there is control of bleeding and treatment of pain.
"Then you've got 31,000 years ago, someone is performing an amputation on this person and it's successful."
Dr. Maloney and his team are currently working on a study to determine the type of stone surgery tools available in the past.