Hervé
14th March 2018, 14:54
Mystery of alien-like skulls from medieval Europe revealed after 50yrs (https://www.rt.com/news/421212-mystery-alien-like-skulls-bavaria/)
RT (https://www.rt.com/news/421212-mystery-alien-like-skulls-bavaria/)
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 00:06 UTC
https://www.sott.net/image/s22/456370/large/5aa8c9c9fc7e931a668b4623.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s22/456370/full/5aa8c9c9fc7e931a668b4623.jpg)
© State collection for Anthropology and Paleoanatomy Munich, Germany
Specimens with strong (left), some (middle) and no (right) skull deformation.
Scientists have finally cracked the mystery of the 1,500-year-old egg-shaped skulls found in Bavaria almost five decades ago. The 'alien-like,' elongated crania were unlike anything seen in northern Europe at that time.
The technique used to form the women's spiked scalps, scientifically known as artificial cranial deformation (ACD), could have only been applied during childhood when the bones were still forming and the skull was still soft and malleable. Egg-shaped skulls, as with most body modifications in ancient times, were seen as a sign of beauty, status or nobility, the researchers reported. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/03/06/1719880115/tab-figures-data) on Monday.
To unlock the mystery of the egg-shaped skulls, researchers looked at the DNA of 36 adults, 14 of whom had altered skulls, from six different Bavarian cemeteries. They also took DNA samples from a Roman soldier and from two women from Crimea and Serbia.
The DNA test showed that the cone-headed women had vastly different genetics than their Baiuvarii counterparts. All the people with deformed skulls analyzed in the research were found to originate from southern and southeastern Europe, with DNA coding for brown eyes and blond or brown hair, as opposed to their blonde-haired, blue-eyed Baiuvarii counterparts.
The archaeologists could not locate any children with cone-shaped skulls in the graveyard, dispelling the theory that the Baiuvarii practised skull-lengthening. In addition, the women were buried with local artifacts, indicating they had adapted to local culture. The new study shows they were long-headed, immigrant brides who traveled to Bavaria from an area within modern-day Romania, Bulgaria or Serbia during the sixth century A.D.
The cone-headed concubines had likely embarked upon the journey in order to cement strategic alliances during a time when the collapse of the Roman Empire had created somewhat of a power vacuum across Europe. Germanic peoples such as the Goths, Alemanni, Gepids and Longobards swept in to fill the gap and seize territory and power for themselves. The mysterious brides were discovered in a cemetery belonging to the Baiuvarii.
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SOTT Comment (https://www.sott.net/article/379948-Mystery-of-alien-like-skulls-from-medieval-Europe-revealed-after-50yrs): Elongated skulls and the practice of cranial deformation has been found all over the world covering wildly different time spans; who were the people with the naturally elongated heads? And why did people seek to imitate them?
Will the true origins of cranial deformation ever be revealed? (https://www.sott.net/article/311557-Will-the-true-origins-of-cranial-deformation-ever-be-revealed)
Fifth century mummy found to have human DNA but different anatomy (https://www.sott.net/article/379858-Fifth-century-mummy-found-to-have-human-DNA-but-different-anatomy)
French archaeologists discover beautifully preserved deformed skull (https://www.sott.net/article/268380-French-archaeologists-discover-beautifully-preserved-deformed-skull)
Cranial deformation discovered in 1000 year old Mexican cemetery (https://www.sott.net/article/254857-Cranial-deformation-discovered-in-1000-year-old-Mexican-cemetery)
Germany, Bavaria: Experts Baffled by Mysterious Underground Chambers (https://www.sott.net/article/232403-Germany-Bavaria-Experts-Baffled-by-Mysterious-Underground-Chambers)
Ancient Deformed Children Not Always Killed by Parents (https://www.sott.net/article/180502-Ancient-Deformed-Children-Not-Always-Killed-by-Parents)
Skeletons with elongated skulls found by researchers in Bolivia (https://www.sott.net/article/321449-Skeletons-with-elongated-skulls-found-by-researchers-in-Bolivia)
Elongated Peruvian skulls DNA tested: Not human? (https://www.sott.net/article/293412-Elongated-Peruvian-skulls-DNA-tested-Not-human)
Bizarre, long-headed woman's skull unearthed in Korea (https://www.sott.net/article/320685-Bizarre-long-headed-womans-skull-unearthed-in-Korea)
A giant mystery: 18 strange giant skeletons found in Wisconsin: Sons of god; Men of renown (https://www.sott.net/article/256712-A-giant-mystery-18-strange-giant-skeletons-found-in-Wisconsin-Sons-of-god-Men-of-renown)
Will the true origins of cranial deformation ever be revealed? (https://www.sott.net/article/311557-Will-the-true-origins-of-cranial-deformation-ever-be-revealed)
2,000-yr-old skeleton of toddler with elongated skull found in Crimea (https://www.sott.net/article/361840-2000-yr-old-skeleton-of-toddler-with-elongated-skull-found-in-Crimea)
2,000 year old Siberian brain surgery techniques recreated by Russian scientists (https://www.sott.net/article/292107-2000-year-old-Siberian-brain-surgery-techniques-recreated-by-Russian-scientists)
Peruvians experimented with brain surgery 1,000 years ago (https://www.sott.net/article/270569-Peruvians-experimented-with-brain-surgery-1000-years-ago)
Like a hole in the head: The return of trepanation (https://www.sott.net/article/187000-Like-a-hole-in-the-head-The-return-of-trepanation)
Inca Skull Surgeons Were "Highly Skilled," Study Finds (https://www.sott.net/article/156290-Inca-Skull-Surgeons-Were-Highly-Skilled-Study-Finds)
============================================================
It's unfortunate that acute cognitive dissonance shoves naturally elongated skulls under the "Artificial Cranial Deformation" carpet...
RT (https://www.rt.com/news/421212-mystery-alien-like-skulls-bavaria/)
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 00:06 UTC
https://www.sott.net/image/s22/456370/large/5aa8c9c9fc7e931a668b4623.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s22/456370/full/5aa8c9c9fc7e931a668b4623.jpg)
© State collection for Anthropology and Paleoanatomy Munich, Germany
Specimens with strong (left), some (middle) and no (right) skull deformation.
Scientists have finally cracked the mystery of the 1,500-year-old egg-shaped skulls found in Bavaria almost five decades ago. The 'alien-like,' elongated crania were unlike anything seen in northern Europe at that time.
The technique used to form the women's spiked scalps, scientifically known as artificial cranial deformation (ACD), could have only been applied during childhood when the bones were still forming and the skull was still soft and malleable. Egg-shaped skulls, as with most body modifications in ancient times, were seen as a sign of beauty, status or nobility, the researchers reported. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/03/06/1719880115/tab-figures-data) on Monday.
To unlock the mystery of the egg-shaped skulls, researchers looked at the DNA of 36 adults, 14 of whom had altered skulls, from six different Bavarian cemeteries. They also took DNA samples from a Roman soldier and from two women from Crimea and Serbia.
The DNA test showed that the cone-headed women had vastly different genetics than their Baiuvarii counterparts. All the people with deformed skulls analyzed in the research were found to originate from southern and southeastern Europe, with DNA coding for brown eyes and blond or brown hair, as opposed to their blonde-haired, blue-eyed Baiuvarii counterparts.
The archaeologists could not locate any children with cone-shaped skulls in the graveyard, dispelling the theory that the Baiuvarii practised skull-lengthening. In addition, the women were buried with local artifacts, indicating they had adapted to local culture. The new study shows they were long-headed, immigrant brides who traveled to Bavaria from an area within modern-day Romania, Bulgaria or Serbia during the sixth century A.D.
The cone-headed concubines had likely embarked upon the journey in order to cement strategic alliances during a time when the collapse of the Roman Empire had created somewhat of a power vacuum across Europe. Germanic peoples such as the Goths, Alemanni, Gepids and Longobards swept in to fill the gap and seize territory and power for themselves. The mysterious brides were discovered in a cemetery belonging to the Baiuvarii.
-----------------------------------------------
SOTT Comment (https://www.sott.net/article/379948-Mystery-of-alien-like-skulls-from-medieval-Europe-revealed-after-50yrs): Elongated skulls and the practice of cranial deformation has been found all over the world covering wildly different time spans; who were the people with the naturally elongated heads? And why did people seek to imitate them?
Will the true origins of cranial deformation ever be revealed? (https://www.sott.net/article/311557-Will-the-true-origins-of-cranial-deformation-ever-be-revealed)
Fifth century mummy found to have human DNA but different anatomy (https://www.sott.net/article/379858-Fifth-century-mummy-found-to-have-human-DNA-but-different-anatomy)
French archaeologists discover beautifully preserved deformed skull (https://www.sott.net/article/268380-French-archaeologists-discover-beautifully-preserved-deformed-skull)
Cranial deformation discovered in 1000 year old Mexican cemetery (https://www.sott.net/article/254857-Cranial-deformation-discovered-in-1000-year-old-Mexican-cemetery)
Germany, Bavaria: Experts Baffled by Mysterious Underground Chambers (https://www.sott.net/article/232403-Germany-Bavaria-Experts-Baffled-by-Mysterious-Underground-Chambers)
Ancient Deformed Children Not Always Killed by Parents (https://www.sott.net/article/180502-Ancient-Deformed-Children-Not-Always-Killed-by-Parents)
Skeletons with elongated skulls found by researchers in Bolivia (https://www.sott.net/article/321449-Skeletons-with-elongated-skulls-found-by-researchers-in-Bolivia)
Elongated Peruvian skulls DNA tested: Not human? (https://www.sott.net/article/293412-Elongated-Peruvian-skulls-DNA-tested-Not-human)
Bizarre, long-headed woman's skull unearthed in Korea (https://www.sott.net/article/320685-Bizarre-long-headed-womans-skull-unearthed-in-Korea)
A giant mystery: 18 strange giant skeletons found in Wisconsin: Sons of god; Men of renown (https://www.sott.net/article/256712-A-giant-mystery-18-strange-giant-skeletons-found-in-Wisconsin-Sons-of-god-Men-of-renown)
Will the true origins of cranial deformation ever be revealed? (https://www.sott.net/article/311557-Will-the-true-origins-of-cranial-deformation-ever-be-revealed)
2,000-yr-old skeleton of toddler with elongated skull found in Crimea (https://www.sott.net/article/361840-2000-yr-old-skeleton-of-toddler-with-elongated-skull-found-in-Crimea)
2,000 year old Siberian brain surgery techniques recreated by Russian scientists (https://www.sott.net/article/292107-2000-year-old-Siberian-brain-surgery-techniques-recreated-by-Russian-scientists)
Peruvians experimented with brain surgery 1,000 years ago (https://www.sott.net/article/270569-Peruvians-experimented-with-brain-surgery-1000-years-ago)
Like a hole in the head: The return of trepanation (https://www.sott.net/article/187000-Like-a-hole-in-the-head-The-return-of-trepanation)
Inca Skull Surgeons Were "Highly Skilled," Study Finds (https://www.sott.net/article/156290-Inca-Skull-Surgeons-Were-Highly-Skilled-Study-Finds)
============================================================
It's unfortunate that acute cognitive dissonance shoves naturally elongated skulls under the "Artificial Cranial Deformation" carpet...