The mystery of ancient Japanese skulls that were “deformed”

Photo: PLOS ONE

Skulls found in an ancient tomb in Japan were “modified” to express collective identity and help them build trade relationships, according to new research.

In all of the skulls, the rounded part at the back of the head had been flattened, possibly due to being tied or pressed against a surface during infancy. The skulls were identified as belonging to the Hirota people who lived on Tanegashima Island, Japan, from the third to seventh centuries.

The Hirota people “modified” their skulls regardless of social rank and gender, the team said. They were buried in a vast burial ground with hundreds of skeletons, 90% of which were lavishly decorated with glass beads, pendants, and bracelets made from seashells.

The ornaments originated thousands of miles south of the burial site, suggesting they were traded. The researchers hypothesize that the reshaping of the skulls contributed to the success of those transactions.

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Source: http://www.baovanhoa.vn/the-gioi/artmid/425/articleid/68769/bi-an-ve-nhung-hop-so-nhat-ban-co-dai-bi-%E2%80%9Cbien-dang%E2%80%9D