Eine Reevaluation artifiziell deformierter Schädel des Frühen Mittelalters aus Bayern

Abstract

The Re-evaluation of Artificially Deformed Skulls from Bavaria Dating to the Early Middle Ages

As part of this project 122 individuals from ancient Bavarian cemeteries were re-examined. On the basis of visual examination 26 of these individuals seemed to display artificial cranial deformations which would suggest a foreign origin. New metrical analysis brought to light that only the skulls of twelve individuals were indeed artificially deformed. With one exception the deformed skulls belonged to women who had reached at least adulthood and showed no other peculiarities. From an archaeological point of view they do not form a homogeneous group as the grave goods indicate the women’s different social statuses and varying regional relations (of these women). However, according to the newly conducted 14C dating all women with cranial deformation might have been contemporaries of Attila whereas the only man with an artificially deformed skull seems to have lived significantly earlier than the women. The presented data also highlights the need to re-evaluate all identified cranial deformations of Europe, especially using metrical analysis. Only then can this phenomenon be compared on a supra-regional level.