68 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 93 



is given to the idea that heavy ear pendants might induce the de- 

 velopment of these growths, though conceivahly in rare cases some 

 exciting influence may exist even in this connection. 



HEAD DEFORMATION 



Students of ear exostoses who gave attention more especially to 

 American cranial materials, where artificial deformation is freciuent, 

 have mostly l)een inclined to attrihute to these deformations more 

 or less influence in the causation of the ahnormalities ; hut there were 

 also those who opposed the view. 



There are three main forms of head deformation. One is the 

 simple occipital flattening produced hy the unaided or aided pressure 

 of the hack of the head on a resistant hase. This form assumed its 

 greatest development and vogue among the Pueblos. Init it was also 

 present in Florida and elsewhere. 



The next form is the " circular " or "Aymara "' deformation, ])r()- 

 duced by a band applied about the head from over the forehead to 

 under the bulge of the occiput. This caused the curious more or 

 less truncated skulls known best from the highlands of Peru and 

 Bolivia, but common also in Vancouver Island, in parts of Argentina, 

 and in other localities. 



The third form of head deformation is the fronto-occipital or 

 " flat-head" compression. This was produced by the direct application 

 of pressure to the forehead by means of planks or bags, and occasion- 

 ally a pad or other appliance for counterpressure to the lower part 

 of the occiput. It prevailed in the Columbia basin, in the south- 

 eastern United States, in Mexico and Yucatan, in northern South 

 America, and in Peru. It was also present in Hawaii. 



The presumed influence on the development of ear exostoses of 

 artificial skull deformation, ranges itself with the mechanical causes. 

 About the best expression on the subject is that of Whitney (1886, 

 pp. 441-442). He says : 



If now the flattened skulls are examined it will be found generally that the 

 meatus is narrowed from before backwards and the lips are often slightly thick- 

 ened and raised up ; . . . . There is no absolute demonstration possible that it 

 is the narrowing of the meatus from posterior pressure in early youth that gives 

 a vicious twist to the tympanic ring and places it in a condition favorable to 

 give rise to such outgrowths in after years. All that can be said is that it 

 occurs more frequently in such heads than in those that are normal or flattened 

 by anterior pressure which does not apparently affect the shape of the meatus. 

 And further the similarly flattened heads of the ancient Peruvians show also 

 a large percent affected with hyperostoses. It is not claimed that this deformity 

 is the sole cause, but that it simply increases a tendency which is universal. 



