Perhaps this is why the Roman were terrified of them. Was this usual? Did it have any effects on brain functions?
Perhaps this is why the Roman were terrified of them. Was this usual? Did it have any effects on brain functions?
Cataphract Of The City
Or perhaps that guy was just a little... deformed...
"One of the nice things about looking at a bear is that you know it spends 100 per cent of every minute of every day being a bear. It doesn't strive to become a better bear. It doesn't go to sleep thinking, "I wasn't really a very good bear today". They are just 100 per cent bear, whereas human beings feel we're not 100 per cent human, that we're always letting ourselves down. We're constantly striving towards something, to some fulfilment"
-Stephen Fry
One often reads the Huns practiced decorative cranial deformation. It's not all that unusual a practice, turns up here and there around the world over history. IIRC the usual technique involved trying planks or something else suitable around the heads of infants early on when their bones are still all soft and springy and whatnot, so they ossify into the desired shape. I'd assume the brain, being the squishy thing it is, adapted readily enough to the treatment - if it had major negative side effects the practice would bviously die out pretty fast after all since you'd be lobotomizing about the whole upper strata of the society...
Last edited by Watchman; 01-22-2007 at 00:31.
"Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. --- Proof of the existence of the FSM, if needed, can be found in the recent uptick of global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. Apparently His Pastaness is to be worshipped in full pirate regalia. The decline in worldwide pirate population over the past 200 years directly corresponds with the increase in global temperature. Here is a graph to illustrate the point."
-Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
What about adaptations to connect brain to nervous system. I know it connects to the spine, and then spreads out. However, would the body know to create more nerve cells, and other body parts to accomodate for the elongated head?
"Nietzsche is dead" - God
"I agree, although I support China I support anyone discovering things for Science and humanity." - lenin96
Re: Pursuit of happiness
Have you just been dumped?
I ask because it's usually something like that which causes outbursts like this, needless to say I dissagree completely.
Eh, those connections are in the bottom part aren't they ? Decorative deformation doesn't touch them AFAIK, and probably can't either. Look at that skull up there, and you'll notice the deformation has clearly been done to the upper parts of the skull where there isn't annoying stuff (say, the neck) in the way.
"Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. --- Proof of the existence of the FSM, if needed, can be found in the recent uptick of global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. Apparently His Pastaness is to be worshipped in full pirate regalia. The decline in worldwide pirate population over the past 200 years directly corresponds with the increase in global temperature. Here is a graph to illustrate the point."
-Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
I had heard that it was actually practised by those peoples under Hunnic control, in order to emulate their overlords asiatic features.
Sig by Durango
-Oscar WildeNow that the House of Commons is trying to become useful, it does a great deal of harm.
Cranial deformation has been widely practiced throughout history, as Watchman states, even in 17thC mid France apparently. The Flathead Native American tribe used to bind wood to the heads of infants in order to achieve flattening of the skull. The skull in the picture belongs to a Hun woman and it is one of many similarly deformed skulls that have been discovered. The elongation is achieved by head binding.
Here is the dilema; not all Hun finds contain evidence of this practice so it is hard to understand the reasons. The Sarmatians have been linked to the same practice so there are many theories. Perhaps the Huns adopted some Sarmatian culture from the tribes they conquered? Perhaps it was only Sarmatian descendants who carried on the head binding? Maybe the Sarmatians adopted Hun practices? Could these be the skulls of an Elite class? There have also been Gothic remains displaying evidence of cranial deformation so the best we can do is guess
......Orda
Maybe it was indeed only custom of the elite.In another culture where skull flattening was popular,Mayas.It was mostly the children of Elite that went through the process.
Ja Mata Tosainu Sama.
Well, the social elites were usually the only ones who could spare the time and effort for that sort of vanity anyway. The commoners tended to be too busy not starving.
'Sides, what sort of status symbol would it be if everyone did it ?
"Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. --- Proof of the existence of the FSM, if needed, can be found in the recent uptick of global warming, earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. Apparently His Pastaness is to be worshipped in full pirate regalia. The decline in worldwide pirate population over the past 200 years directly corresponds with the increase in global temperature. Here is a graph to illustrate the point."
-Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
The Karankawas did this in TEXAS they also ate people this was of course before granpappy told them to convert or die
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
There, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford
My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.
I am tired and sick of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation.
The Incas as well; plus they did the cross-eyed thing.
Reinvent the British and you get a global finance center, edible food and better service. Reinvent the French and you may just get more Germans.
Ik hou van ferme grieten en dikke pintenOriginally Posted by Evil_Maniac From Mars
Down with dried flowers!
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Non-European societies seem to have enjoyed this.
Africans, Aztecs, Native Americans, Chinese, Huns, and maybe even Europeans but I don't have any idea if they did it.
"Nietzsche is dead" - God
"I agree, although I support China I support anyone discovering things for Science and humanity." - lenin96
Re: Pursuit of happiness
Have you just been dumped?
I ask because it's usually something like that which causes outbursts like this, needless to say I dissagree completely.
Perhaps this is why the Roman were terrified of them. Was this usual? Did it have any effects on brain functions?[/QUOTE]
this are Paracas skulls from southamerica
Apparently it was practiced by numerous groups.
It would seem that any resulting damage is likely the product of the degree of deformation induced. Source
Interestingly, the types of lobe damage that would first occur would be to the frontal lobes -- normally associated with self-restraint, self-monitoring, innovation, etc. Might actually lend a bit of biological support for reported "excesses" associated with some barbarian cultures.
"The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom.” -- Milton Friedman
"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." -- H. L. Mencken
Bookmarks