Skull of antiquated conical shape exhibits indications of lethal impact
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The archaeological excavation of an ancient burial ground, Chegla Sofla in western Iran, has spanned over a decade. This Copper Age site is rich with skeletal remains, offering precious insights into the lives of the area's inhabitants from around 6,200 years ago. One intriguing find isn't architectural, but anthropological: a young girl's skull displaying clear evidence of skull modification. As reported in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, the girl died as a result of head trauma, though the cause remains unknown[1].
Cultural practices of artificial head elongation can be traced back for millennia in societies across the globe, including Eurasia, Africa, South America, and the Americas. The desired effect was achieved by wrapping a child's head tightly in cloth bandages for years to create a cone-shaped skull. Some of the earliest evidence dates to 9th millennium BCE proto-Neolithic communities in Iraq. The findings at Chegla Sofla suggest that these practices persisted well up to the 5th millennium[1].
Experts from Tarbiat Modares University in Iran analyzed the remains of a young woman estimated to be under 20 years old. Using computerized tomography (CT) scans, they found that her skull bones and diploe—the spongy inner section providing shock absorption—were thinner than usual, indicating the practice of cranial binding. The CT scans revealed a fracture running from front to back, with no healing signs, suggesting it occurred at the time of her death. The injury formed a distinct triangular fracture along the sagittal border of the left parietal bone[1].
Determining whether the traumatic blow was intentional or accidental, or related to violence, was impossible, as the skull was the only recovered part of her remains. She was found in a mass grave at Chegla Sofla, complicating efforts to match her skull with other bones[1].
"We know she suffered the fracture in her final moments, but we don't have concrete evidence to say someone hit her," study co-author Mahdi Alirezazadeh told Live Science[2]. Despite the limp details about the circumstances surrounding her death, the injury's severity suggests it would have fractured any skull, modified or not[1].
Unfortunately, few additional clues may surface to shed light on the girl's final moments. While her skull has been found, the rest of her skeleton remains unaccounted for, meaning comprehensive analysis may be on hold[1].
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[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41462-021-01060-z[2] https://www.livescience.com/artificial-head-elongation-iran-skeleton-death.html
- The analysis of a young woman's skull from Chegla Sofla, Iran, conducted by experts from Tarbiat Modares University, uncovered evidence of cranial binding—an ancient practice—and revealed a skull fracture, highlighting the intersection between archaeological findings and medical-conditions, adding to the discourse in health-and-wellness and anthropological studies.
- The scientific community continues to explore various societies' cultural practices, such as artificial head elongation, tracing the practice back through history—from the 9th millennium BCE to the Copper Age era (around 6,200 years ago)—delving deeper into the relationship between engineering, science, and social structures, shedding light on the diverse monuments and medical-conditions that existed in the past.
