Every time I see a skull with this deformation caused by skull wrapping some questions occur to me:
1. Why does this cultural practice appear in separate and remote parts of the world?
1/A. How does this cultural practice appear in separate and remote parts of the world? Presumably there is no interaction between a remote area of Pannonia, Africa, and the AltoPlano of Peru.
2.So is this just an impulse built into humans genes? “Hey guys, I got an idea. Let’s wrap all the kids skulls as soon as they are born so they elongate like Coneheads.” Why would this become a desirable social convention in a localized area? Is imitation the highest form of flattery?
3. Saggital sutures: For all known humans, At birth, the bones of the skull do not meet. If certain bones of the skull grow too fast then “premature closure” of the sutures may occur. This can result in skull deformities. If the sagittal suture closes early the skull becomes long, narrow, and wedge-shaped, a condition called scaphocephaly.
OK, this CAN be a natural process, BUT why would it occur in an entire village, tribe, culture, or whatever. Assuming this happens naturally to one member of a tribe, would the other tribesmen seek to emulate it by binding the heads of their own children in imitation?
All interesting questions. I don’t know if it is similar, but reminds me of the various Bigfoot stories or other creatures that are in stories of old throughout the world. Is there something out there - or is there just something in humans that create something to be out there?
Also reminds me of the story of the daughter asking mom how to make meatloaf. So the mom helps and then after the thing is all mixed and rolled out in a loaf she cuts both ends off of the loaf. “That’s our little family secret to a good meatloaf!”
“Why?”
“I don’t know - that’s just the way we’ve always done it - and how your grandmother has always done it and that’s how she showed me.”
“But why?”
“Okay - lets call Grandma!”
“Oh Honey, I cut off the ends because I didn’t have a large enough pan!”