Artificial cranial deformation in newborns in the pre-Columbian Andes

Schijman, Edgardo

doi:10.1007/s00381-004-1127-8

Cited by 31 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…4,7,17 According to the current state of knowledge, this custom probably appeared independently in different regions of the world. [28][29][30] Artificially deformed skulls dating back to as early as the Late Paleolithic Period have been recorded. 8,9,37 The alteration of head shape, which was widely favored because of the plasticity of the cranium of newborn infants, was performed with the help of a strong pressure exerted on the head from the 1st day of life to approximately 3 years of age.…”

Section: ©Aans 2014mentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificially deformed crania from the Hun-Germanic Period (5th–6th century ad) in northeastern Hungary: historical and morphological analysis

Molnár

János

Szücs

et al. 2014

FOC

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From an anthropological point of view, artificial deformation of the cranial shape in newborns is one of the most interesting human customs, which has been recorded in all continents and in different cultures. However, the main goals of this procedure were basically the same everywhere; that is, to distinguish certain groups of people from others and to indicate the social status of individuals. In the Carpathian Basin all artificially deformed skulls are dated to the late Iron Age, especially to the early Migration Period. The authors examined 9 artificially deformed skulls from the Hun-Germanic Period (5th–6th century ad) excavated from two cemeteries in the northeastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain (Hungary). The extent and the type of the deformation as well as the technique were determined in each case. The authors also attempt to shed light on the probable origin and the historical context of the custom practiced in the Carpathian Basin (Hungary), relying on the anthropological and historical literature on the Hun-Germanic and preceding periods. It seems possible that this custom, which is associated with the finds in the Carpathian Basin, first appeared in the Kalmykia steppe, later in the Crimea, from where it spread to Central and Western Europe by way of the Hun migration. Neither the cranial find described presently nor the special literature on the subject furnish convincing evidence that the cranial deformation resulted in any chronic neurological disorder.

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Section: ©Aans 2014mentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificially deformed crania from the Hun-Germanic Period (5th–6th century ad) in northeastern Hungary: historical and morphological analysis

Molnár

János

Szücs

et al. 2014

FOC

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“…7,26 A collection of 500 Peruvian skulls in Paris only contains 60 free of deformation ( Figs. 1 and 2).…”

Section: Ancient Perumentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5 In some cases, dig sites yielded human remains with 90% of the skulls deformed. 3,5,26 Head shape appears to have demarcated membership within a group in a large, complex society, whereas in smaller societies, head shape demarcated social group differences. There is a "complex" archaeological record in the region according to Dingwall, 5 which Imbelloni 13 divided into 7 distinct regions according to, among other things, the method used.…”

Section: Ancient Perumentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Oblique deformation occurs when oblique boards compress the skull at the inion, whereas erect deformation is accomplished with vertical boards centered on the lambdoid suture. 26 The deforming apparatus can prevent blood flow to the developing areas and cause necrosis of the occipital bone.…”

Section: Artificial Deformationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In ancient Peru it has been suggested that as the ruling class became comfortable in power, they permitted some noble families to shape the skulls of their children, imitating the distinct features of the ruler's skull. 5,8,26 While this may have entrenched the ruler's power, permitting an individual to show such allegiance would require the individual to take on a political role. Conversely, this privilege could have resulted in a proliferation of claims to rule the society.…”

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confidence: 99%

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The sociopolitical history and physiological underpinnings of skull deformation

Ayer

Campbell

Appelboom

et al. 2010

FOC

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In this report, the evidence, mechanisms, and rationale for the practice of artificial cranial deformation (ACD) in ancient Peru and during Akhenaten's reign in the 18th dynasty in Egypt (1375–1358 BCE) are reviewed. The authors argue that insufficient attention has been given to the sociopolitical implications of the practice in both regions. While evidence from ancient Peru is widespread and complex, there are comparatively fewer examples of deformed crania from the period of Akhenaten's rule. Nevertheless, Akhenaten's own deformity, the skull of the so-called “Younger Lady” mummy, and Tutankhamen's skull all evince some degree of plagiocephaly, suggesting the need for further research using evidence from depictions of the royal family in reliefs and busts. Following the anthropological review, a neurosurgical focus is directed to instances of plagiocephaly in modern medicine, with special attention to the conditions' etiology, consequences, and treatment. Novel clinical studies on varying modes of treatment will also be studied, together forming a comprehensive review of ACD, both in the past and present.

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Quantitative discrimination of deformation in Fueguian crania

Lucea

Salicrú

Turbón

2018

American J Hum Biol

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Objectives: Artificial deformation of the cranium in humans has been related to powerful environmental-cultural stimuli that modify vectors of growth and development when the cranium is still malleable. Osteological differentiation into deformed and nondeformed remains enables the morphological information of individuals that make up ethnic groups or populations to be separately contrasted, the invariant measurements of deformation to be identified, the information provided by archeological remains to be placed in a social context, the cranial variation to be related to genetic variation (individuals without deformation), and predictions to be made (in the absence of direct genetic information). Methods: With samples of reduced size and many variables, we propose a decision rule based on: (a) pre-selecting variables (Kruskal-Wallis and Λ-Wilks test); (b) applying logistic regression to obtain the optimal classification criterion; and (c) defining a multi-criterion decision rule to bring about greater robustness. Results: After applying the decision rule to a sample of 180 crania (71 from the Selknam, 74 from the Yamana, and 35 from the Alakaluf ethnic groups), it was possible to identify the Selknam men with frontal deformation and the Yamana women with flattening of the parietal regions at the height of the bregma. Conclusions: From there on with the information provided by the graphical representation of the populations in the most informative dimensions and the homogeneity contrast between sexes, we related the frontal deformation in Selknam men to dragging firewood, vegetable matter, domestic utensils, and heavy pieces of meat from the hunt. On the other hand, the flattening of the parietal areas at the height of the bregma in Yamana women is related to loading and transporting vegetables and animals in baskets or leather sacks. K E Y W O R D S deformed skulls, Fuego-Patagonians, logistic regression FIGURE 1 Main sites of Tierra del Fuego and South Patagonia showing the diversity of crania, modified or not, by sexes. For more detailed information (only for current Chilean territory), see Alfonso-Durruty et al. (2015). Circles: female; triangle: male. Diamond: Not deformed. In black: with deformation LUCEA ET AL.

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Artificial cranial deformation in newborns in the pre-Columbian Andes

Abstract: There is no evidence of any neurological impairment among indigenous groups who practiced cranial deformations in newborns.

Cited by 31 publications

References 3 publications

Artificially deformed crania from the Hun-Germanic Period (5th–6th century ad) in northeastern Hungary: historical and morphological analysis

Artificially deformed crania from the Hun-Germanic Period (5th–6th century ad) in northeastern Hungary: historical and morphological analysis

The sociopolitical history and physiological underpinnings of skull deformation

Quantitative discrimination of deformation in Fueguian crania

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