Artificial cranial deformation

As cranial deformation ( Schädeldeformierung, cranial deformation ) is called both the reversible and the irreversible deformation of the skull. This is caused mostly by the fact that on the still -soft infant or child's skull either for a long time a unilateral light exposure (eg through narrow birth canal, forceps ) acts (eg by always the same sleeping position ) or short term a heavy burden. Skull deformities are a common concept in medicine as well as in anthropology.

At least until the 20th century, in mild forms may still, skull deformations were also made ​​artificially. These interventions had to produce not do too much damage to health, in early childhood, usually by bandaging, are caused. However, the strong protrusion of the eyes was noted. During the Migration Period These kinds deformations were also distributed between Central Europe and Central Asia. They were worn by the Huns westward and passed on to the Germanic peoples.

Medicine

Skull deformations ( in medicine skull asymmetry) can arise for various reasons: For one, they can be used as birth order in case of excessive action of a forceps or too narrow birth Due occur. In this case, the deformation is usually only temporary.

A skull asymmetry can also by stronger influences on the skull over a long period of time, eg, by false and one-sided beds are caused.

In the third case, the skull deformation is a result of congenital or acquired in the first months of brain changes. These are usually permanent. These include:

• Water on the brain ( hydrocephalus )
• Großköpfigkeit ( macrocephaly )
• Kleinköpfigkeit ( microcephaly )
• Turricephaly ( Turrizephalus )

When intended, observed in the ethnography and the historical sciences deformation you went to a few years ago on the assumption that there are no negative consequences for the health of those affected. However, it seems as though these often affected by certain diseases. Among the sequelae has about the frequent protrusion of the upper teeth, arthritis of the temporomandibular joints or the narrowing of the eye sockets.

History and Ethnology

The oldest deformations are observed at Neanderthal skulls in Shanidar ( 43,000 BC). However, doubts have been expressed thereon. What is certain, however, apply appropriate findings from the Neolithic period, Italian and Hungarian discoveries prove the custom of up to 10,000 years ago, the oldest finds date from the 9th millennium BC, with finds from the Caucasus and Ukraine appear much later than in the Middle East.

When older still applies another form of Skull manipulation, opening a hole in the skull, called trepanation. As a further manipulation in the header of the removal of the incisors, which is tangible during the Neolithic period in Italy and North Africa during the Ibéromaurusien appeared ( skull Hattab II, Northern Morocco, 8900 ± 1100 BP).

The Greek physician Hippocrates reported by the people of the Makrokephaloi, which deformed his children after birth only by hand and later with bandages his head in the 5th century BC. He believed that once made ​​this manipulation is hereditary, as naivety. Skull deformations were also on Crete.

Most intended skull deformations in Eurasia come from the 1st to the 7th century. As Origin Central Asia is assumed where they can be assigned in the 1st century. Ethnically they are assigned to the Huns. You are in the 5th and 6th centuries occasionally grave finds of the subject or influenced by the Huns peoples such as the Goths, Gepids ( in these cases to the 6th century), Thuringians, Alamanni, Franks (rather rare in the last two, 7th century ), Bavarians ( at least 20 skulls at 7 sites, especially at row cemetery of Straubing -Bajuwarenstraße to a man and 10 women) and Burgundians detectable. The 1925 published by F. Holter deformed skull of the woman of the upper Möllern is one of the typical mostly female deformations. In this case, the head was placed in an oblong shape with firmly laced bandages from an early age. In 2006, in Germany 64 finds with demonstrable skull deformations known from Switzerland and 15 from France 43

Using isotope studies, it was demonstrated that those affected mostly stationary lived, so it was not a question immigrants who had come about through marriage contracts from other tribes in the Fund field. This could probably be made ​​that it was imitation processes of nomadic culture by the Germanic groups.

Often, as you surmised, the cranial deformation had a social significance and was the top layer reserved. The conclusion drawn on the basis of anthropological comparisons, there had been to members of aristocratic groups, could not be confirmed on the basis of often modest grave goods. Here are more likely assimilation processes to attract a temporarily considered as superior culture into consideration.

In Asia there was head deformations in South Asia (especially India) and in Asia Minor. Supposedly, the family of Akhenaten was said to have deformed skull, which in the professional world but is controversial.

Especially many deformed skulls have been found in Central and South America in tombs of the Maya, Inca and other Andean peoples. A deformed head was probably as beautiful and noble. Also, some North American Indian tribes, the Chinook, deformed the skulls of their children.

Some nations, such as the Mangbetu in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly intentionally deformed infants with their boards and bandages the skull, which probably was considered a beauty ideal.

In a cranial deformation ( in ethnology and head deformation ) of the back of the head was flattened, elongated or flattened forehead. Such Schädeldeformierung provides an assessment by parents or relatives, irreversible change in skull shape in early childhood dar. This practice is often a parental investment of time and energy in their child's future. The child itself can not give consent. This intentional deformation must be distinguished from the accidental, because incorrect overlays the infant can achieve similar effects. Even if one of the two ring seams will amalgamate ( skull suture between the frontal and parietal bones ), a " plagiocephaly " forms. Amalgamate the apex suture ( skull suture between the two parietal bones ), a " tower skull " forms.

The French doctor Delisle reported at the end of the 19th century skull deformations in the French department of Haute -Garonne and Seine- Maritime. According to his estimates had 15% of men and 10% of women deformed skull. These were caused by children hoods and head bands. The girls wore this headgear usually up to the marriage, the boys, however, only until the age of eight. This tradition in 14-15. Century was probably from Belgium and has been exercised in the southern French regions by the end of the 18th century.

Three subjects can be inferred from ethnological studies. For one, it was often a means to achieve a certain ideal of beauty, which was adopted in particular for women. For another, often higher ranking social groups excluded from it. After all, men should get in this way a warlike appearance.

Rudolf Virchow was assumed that there had been a development from the accidental to deliberate, from the simple to the complex deformation. Since the apparition was seen everywhere, whether in the Ashanti and Mangbetu Africa, the Chinook in North America, there seemed to be no motive except the desire demarcation of the leading groups. In addition, submerged, depending on which questions were the focus of society, utilitarian considerations on how the load carrying, hunting, or protection against injury, physical and mental strengthening, the ideal of beauty that distinguish it from other "races", even the distinction from animal. The triggering of the phenomenon through an anomaly that genetically determined craniosynostosis was considered. This is a premature ossification of one or more cranial sutures. The normal growth of the skull is not possible and thus a compensatory growth with unusual skull shapes occurs.