Skeleton with stone-encrusted teeth found near Mexico's ancient ruins of Teotihuacan.

Skeleton with stone-encrusted teeth found in Mexico ancient ruins

Archeologists have discovered the 1,600-year-old skeleton of an upper-class woman whose skull was intentionally deformed and teeth were encrusted with mineral stones near Mexico's ancient ruins of Teotihuacan.

The woman, between 35 and 40 years old when she died, was buried with 19 jars that served as offerings, the National Anthropology and History Institute said.

Her cranium was elongated by being compressed in a "very extreme" manner, a technique commonly used in the southern part of Mesoamerica, not the central region where she was found, the institute said in a statement.

Although other intentionally deformed skeletons have been found in Teotihuacan, this one—dubbed "The Woman of Tlailotlacan" after the neighborhood where it was found—is among those with the most deformations.

I thought I'd pop in and post this interesting little find.

Seems that deformation was fairly widespread in the region similar to further south in Peru/Bolivia and elsewhere in the New World. I must admit that Teotihuacan is one of my favorite Pre Columbian sites. Amazing what they were capable supposedly of all without the wheel and iron.

a reply to: SLAYER69

I wonder what they used to glue the stones in the teeth!

That Head binding was so diverse, and in so many cultures...so to speak, always makes me wonder was this ultimately a form of emulation, in the earliest of days. There's not much doubt that in later times it was a status symbol, but the beginnings?

a reply to: SeaWorthy

Dental cement.

So bling bling was popular nearly 2000 years ago as well...



It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that bling...maybe she was the Snoop Dog of her day.

a reply to: SLAYER69

Interesting, in the picture it looks as if it was forced to be symmetrical with the two pyrite stones on the front teeth and the green serpintine stone forced in the middle on the bottom making three points like a triangle.

Another distinctive feature, showing the woman was a "foreigner" in Teotihuacan, is the two round pyrite stones encrusted in her top front teeth, a technique used in Mayan regions in southern Mexico and Central America. She also wore a prosthetic lower tooth made of a green stone known as serpentine.

link to photo of teeth could not upload photo

This could be something that was done at a young age as her second set of teeth came in. They could have trained her teeth to grow in such a way to have her lower teeth pinch in on the green stone as they grew to keep it in place. They were able to train the skull some how so why not her teeth.

Always love thinking about this kind of stuff, thanks for the interesting post Slayer.

Archeologists have discovered the 1,600-year-old skeleton of an upper-class woman whose skull was intentionally deformed and teeth were encrusted with mineral stones near Mexico's ancient ruins of Teotihuacan.

The woman, between 35 and 40 years old when she died, was buried with 19 jars that served as offerings, the National Anthropology and History Institute said.

Her cranium was elongated by being compressed in a "very extreme" manner, a technique commonly used in the southern part of Mesoamerica, not the central region where she was found, the institute said in a statement.

A reasonable guess is that she's the daughter of a chief from another district. The head binding is most often found among upper classes (it was hard to pretend you were an elite if your skull wasn't deformed --and if you were a farmer, binding your child's head, a lot of pressure would be put on you to not do that). The pots and teeth suggest a woman of high status, which makes me think she was either an important wife or an important captive.

originally posted by: SeaWorthy
a reply to: SLAYER69

I wonder what they used to glue the stones in the teeth!

They probably used the normal dental adhesives, corn, nuts, bits of gristle

a reply to: SLAYER69

There's good evidence that the Paracas skulls weren't deformed, so these need to be examined carefully. It's an assumption that they were deformed.

originally posted by: UMayBRite!
a reply to: SLAYER69

There's good evidence that the Paracas skulls weren't deformed, so these need to be examined carefully. It's an assumption that they were deformed.

Yes, wasn't that Lloyd Pye who came up with that claim, he was as you probably know, a brilliant researcher. with an unusual understanding of evolution, who never ever told lies for profit, so way ahead of his time and a staunch believer in extra-terrestrial contact despite not being held back by any formal qualifications...

a reply to: UMayBRite!

If they weren't deformed then they would look like every other HSS cranium of average proportions. Or are you implying that they weren't artificially deformed and the crania in question are their natural state and they were born that way? If so, and you're the one who made the claim, what is this "good evidence" supporting your tentative grasp on anatomy? Please don't claim it has anything to do with suture points or cute anything stated by (without providing proper citations let alone naming labs who have done the work) by Brian "let me Sell you an overpriced tour of my museum staffed by nobody with credentials" Foerster.