Medieval example of cleft lip and palate from St. Gregory's Priory, Canterbury

An archaeologically retrieved skeleton from medieval Canterbury possibly of the late eleventh or twelfth century, displays clear evidence of cleft lip and palate. A case of cleft palate dating from the seventh century, is known from an Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Burwell. This is the first evidence for both cleft lip and palate in British archaeological material. The individual had survived into adulthood. Apart from an odontome, there was no osseous evidence of any other abnormalities. Artistic evidence of cleft lip dates to the fourth century B.C. and surgical intervention (A.D. 390) is known from China.