The Morphological Effects of Artificial Deformation

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The manner in which the growth of each of the component parts of the human skull--the face, neurocranium, and basicranium--interrelates and affects each other has been a problem in physical anthropology which has alluded complete understanding for a long time. A variety of experimental techniques has been used on laboratory animals, but knowledge gained has not always been applicable to humans because of unique features in human growth. This study will investigate a so- called natural experiment--the intentional binding of the cranial vault by various groups of American Indians--to determine whether intentional binding, which retards growth of the bound part, affects the growth of the other components of the skull. Although artificial cranial deformation has been studied in the past, conclusive answers to this question have not been forthcoming due in part to the use of inadequate measuring techniques. This study will utilize a relatively new analytical technique, finite element scaling, to measure and evaluate differences between deformed and non-deformed crania from the same skeletal series. The data obtained in this study will be important in evaluating various hypotheses about the relationships of the cranial components.