AETIFICIAL DEFORMATION OF CHILDREN. 225 



tween boards into a "pyramidal" shape. (Spencer, Des. Soc. Ancient Mexicans, 

 Central Americans, etc., p. 28.) 



Idem. Lengthening (apart from piercing) the lobe of the ear was a royal fashion 

 of the first four Incas. After Mayta-Cupas it became designative of the Curacas 

 (Caciques) of the body guard. Now prevalent among certain tribes of the Amazons, 

 e. g., the Orejones (Spanish), broad-ears. (Vol. n, p. 270.) 



Piedrahita. (Book 1, ch. 2.) The Coyaimas and Natagaymas (Chibchas) "have 

 the custom of putting the tender head of a new-born child between two boards 

 * * * in such a way that it * * * gets flattened." The Pichaos and Panches 

 of the same stock do this also. (Spencer, Des. Soc. Ancient Mexicans, etc., p. 28.) 



Idem. Compression of the head into the shape of " a bishop's mitre." ( Vide Porto- 

 Seguro.) Now obsolete among the Omaguas or Flatheads — a Spanish corruption of 

 the Qnichua Omahuas. These are an emigrant stock — the Umaiias, called by the 

 Tupinambas of Brazil Icanga-pena (flatheads), which was contracted and corrupted 

 by the Portuguese into Cambebas, whence La Condamine's mistake. ( Vide Eef.) 

 He mistook a title for a race name. (Vol. n, 340-342.) 



Cieza (ch. 100) says of the Peruvian Collas that "their heads are very long and 

 flattened behind, because they are pressed and flattened into what shape they choose 

 during childhood." (Spencer, Des. Soc. Ancient Mexicans, Central Americans, etc., 

 p. 28.) 



Owen, Prof. R. (Anatomy of the Vertebrates. London, 1866. 8vo.) In the Inca 

 race the skull "is high behind, owing to the habit of carrying the infant with the 

 back of the head resting on a flat board, the pressure usually producing unsymme- 

 trical distortion of the occipital part of the skull." (Vol. n, p. 567.) The same state- 

 ment is made concerning the Patagonians. (Vol. n, p. 568.) 



Cieza (ch. 50). Among the Caraques of Peru the child's head was pressed between 

 boards, so that it "was long and broad, but flat behind." The Indians said this was 

 conducive to health and vigor. (Spencer, Des. Soc. Ancient Mexicans, Central 

 Americans, etc., p. 28.) 



Idem. Pis. Nos. 386, 387, and 388, vol. 11, p. 567, exhibit artificially distorted 

 skulls of the ancient Peruvians from Titicaca. 



Meyen (p. 36) mentions a decree of the Lima Synod of 1585 against flattening the 

 head. Rivero and Tschudi say that the irregularities in crania from the coast of 

 Peru " were undoubtedly produced by mechanical causes " (p. 32). Santa Cruz, Nar- 

 ratives, p. 78, states thatMancoCapac introduced head-flattening to make the people 

 silly and easily ruled. (Spencer, Des. Soc. Ancient Mexicans, etc., p. 28.) 



Marcoy, P. (Travels in South America. London, 1875. 4to.) Notice of custom 

 of distorting the head among the Aymaras. (Vol. I, pp. 67, 68.) Old Aymara sculp- 

 tures showing vertical and autero-posteri or flattening. (Vol. 1, p. 185.) This work 

 contains many "typical portraits" (1, 103) "taken from life" (1, 518). If correct at 

 all, the Quichuas on the west, and Antis and Chonlaquiro Indians east of the Andes, 

 distort their heads now, though Marcoy does not say so. {Vide pis. Vol. i, pp. 103, 

 476, 515.) 



Torquemada (Book xiv, ch. 25) affirms that permission to shape the heads of their 

 children was a favor granted by the Inca to some nobles, e.g., the artificial contour was 

 that of the royal family. (Spencer, Des. Soc. Ancient Mexicans, Central Americans, 

 etc., p. 28.) 



In all these contemporary fac-similes, and in the portrait medallions (Vol. i, pp. 210, 

 216, sixteenth century) of Incas and Coyas — "The Imperial Tree" — it is noteworthy 

 that, if the delineation is at all accurate, some heads are distorted and some not. 

 It is not possible in this instance to reconcile the portraits with Las Casas' statement 

 that after the fourth Inca the custom ceased. 



Ulloa, Juan and Antonio de. (Voyage to South America. London, 1807. 8vo.) 

 Among the Quito Indians, "their beds consist of two or three sheepskins, without 

 pillows or anything else." (Vol. I, pp. 408, 409.) Children are carried on the mothers' 

 shoulders. (Vol.i, p. 409.) 



H. Mis. 600, pt. 2 15 



