Biomaterial Database

Intentional cranial deformation: a disappearing form of self-mutilation. 1995

P C Gerszten, and E Gerszten

Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA.

Of the forms of human self-mutilation that have been recorded, few have been so widespread and long lasting as intentional cranial deformation. The earliest known record of the practice is from Iraq and dates back to 45,000 BC. The custom, which was practiced in many areas of the world, continued well into this century. Although tatooing, ear piercing, and circumcision are commonly practiced in our society, cranial deformation has almost completely disappeared from contemporary cultures, with the exception of isolated groups in Africa and South America. Intentional cranial deformation is intriguing for those who study the human cranium.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008519	Medicine, Traditional	Systems of medicine based on cultural beliefs and practices handed down from generation to generation. The concept includes mystical and magical rituals (SPIRITUAL THERAPIES); PHYTOTHERAPY; and other treatments which may not be explained by modern medicine.	Ethnomedicine,Folk Medicine,Folk Remedies,Home Remedies,Medicine, Folk,Medicine, Indigenous,Medicine, Primitive,Indigenous Medicine,Primitive Medicine,Traditional Medicine,Folk Remedy,Home Remedy,Remedies, Folk,Remedies, Home,Remedy, Folk,Remedy, Home
D005006	Ethnicity	A group of people with a common cultural heritage that sets them apart from others in a variety of social relationships.	Ethnic Groups,Nationality,Ethnic Group,Nationalities
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012652	Self Mutilation	The act of injuring one's own body to the extent of cutting off or permanently destroying a limb or other essential part of a body.	Autotomy Human,Self Mutilating Behavior,Autotomy Humans,Behavior, Self Mutilating,Mutilating Behavior, Self,Mutilation, Self,Self Mutilating Behaviors
D012886	Skull	The SKELETON of the HEAD including the FACIAL BONES and the bones enclosing the BRAIN.	Calvaria,Cranium,Calvarium,Skulls
D049668	History, 15th Century	Time period from 1401 through 1500 of the common era.	15th Century History,15th Cent. History (Medicine),15th Cent. History of Medicine,15th Cent. Medicine,Historical Events, 15th Century,History of Medicine, 15th Cent.,History, Fifteenth Century,Medical History, 15th Cent.,Medicine, 15th Cent.,15th Cent. Histories (Medicine),15th Century Histories,Cent. Histories, 15th (Medicine),Cent. History, 15th (Medicine),Century Histories, 15th,Century Histories, Fifteenth,Century History, 15th,Century History, Fifteenth,Fifteenth Century Histories,Fifteenth Century History,Histories, 15th Cent. (Medicine),Histories, 15th Century,Histories, Fifteenth Century,History, 15th Cent. (Medicine)
D049669	History, 16th Century	Time period from 1501 through 1600 of the common era.	16th Century History,16th Cent. History (Medicine),16th Cent. History of Medicine,16th Cent. Medicine,Historical Events, 16th Century,History of Medicine, 16th Cent.,History, Sixteenth Century,Medical History, 16th Cent.,Medicine, 16th Cent.,16th Cent. Histories (Medicine),16th Century Histories,Cent. Histories, 16th (Medicine),Cent. History, 16th (Medicine),Century Histories, 16th,Century Histories, Sixteenth,Century History, 16th,Century History, Sixteenth,Histories, 16th Cent. (Medicine),Histories, 16th Century,Histories, Sixteenth Century,History, 16th Cent. (Medicine),Sixteenth Century Histories,Sixteenth Century History
D049670	History, 17th Century	Time period from 1601 through 1700 of the common era.	17th Century History,17th Cent. History (Medicine),17th Cent. History of Medicine,17th Cent. Medicine,Historical Events, 17th Century,History of Medicine, 17th Cent.,History, Seventeenth Century,Medical History, 17th Cent.,Medicine, 17th Cent.,17th Cent. Histories (Medicine),17th Century Histories,Cent. Histories, 17th (Medicine),Century Histories, Seventeenth,Century History, 17th,Century History, Seventeenth,Histories, 17th Cent. (Medicine),Histories, 17th Century,Histories, Seventeenth Century,History, 17th Cent. (Medicine),Seventeenth Century Histories,Seventeenth Century History