The project to excavate ancient tombs in China’s Jilin province has helped reveal some secrets related to beauty tricks and prove the social status of ancient people 12,000 years ago.
At the Houtaomuga archaeological site on the eastern shore of Xinhuangpao Lake, scientists found a total of 25 sets of remains dating back to at least 5,000 – 12,000 years ago, including 11 egg-shaped skulls, from the outside. just like the skull of an alien. This is quite an interesting discovery, because previously experts believed that this practice of skull elongation originated 9,000 – 10,000 years ago, no more.
The research team at Texas A&M University (USA) discovered that these skulls belonged to people who were between 3 and 40 years old at the time of death, and only 5 belonged to adults (pictured).
In the grave of a 3-year-old child, they found pieces of pottery and precious artifacts, signs that this was the child of a wealthy family. Another grave, belonging to a woman, was buried with pieces of shell jewelry, proving her noble origin. The “shaping” of the upper classes in ancient tribes had to be done in the early years of the individuals’ lives. At a time when the skull is still soft, a baby’s head can be stretched using the strength of an adult’s hands, or wrapped with cloth for the same effect.
Houtaomuga was excavated from 2011 to 2015, and to this day still provides much evidence of the practice of skull elongation many thousands of years ago. Scholars are surprised because the so-called “cosmetic” method that served the purpose of beauty and “upper class” status in society many thousands of years ago was clearly not only applied in East Asia, but was also widespread. spread throughout the ancient world, from the Mayan civilization of Central America, to the aboriginal peoples of North America and Australia. “It is still too early to determine whether the practice of skull elongation originated in East Asia before spreading to other places,” according to paleoanthropologist Qian Wang in a report in the journal Physical Anthropology.
