Naturalistic Modeling of Cerebral Lobes in the Ancestral Societies of Tawantinsuyu, With a Focus on Forensic Anthropology: A Systematic Review; [以法医人类学为视角的Tawantinsuyu国家氏族社会颅骨人工 变形实践：系统综述]

Lopez Toribio R.M.; Sifuentes Carhuapoma E.T.; Manrique de Lara Suarez D.A.; Figueroa Sanchez I.C.; Castaneda Eugenio N.E. · Russian Journal of Forensic Medicine (2025) · DOI: 10.17816/fm16184

Resumen

BACKGROUND: This review evaluates naturalistic modeling of cerebral lobes practices among different ancestral societies within the framework of the growing interest in understanding the social and political dynamics of the Inca Empire in Tawantinsuyu. The article discusses the history, objectives, and importance of this practice from neuroanatomical and cultural perspectives. AIM: To explore the potential associations between the practices of naturalistic modeling of cerebral lobes in the ancestral societies of Tawantinsuyu, with a focus on forensic anthropology. METHODS: The studies were carefully selected using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) quality scale. Full-text publications from databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Embase, and Web of Science were analyzed from 1947 to 2024. RESULTS: We identified 83 articles, of which 63 were then included in this systematic review. An analysis was performed on observational studies that collectively described 9,161 cases. Two main cranial styles—tabular and annular—were identified by applying varied mechanical apparatus, thereby resulting in several cranial shapes. Neuroanatomically, each modeling technique and the duration for which mechanical stress was applied, then influenced the solidification of cranial bones and association with the cranial lobes, particularly, the frontal, occipital, parietal, and temporal lobes differently. CONCLUSIONS: In Tawantinsuyu, the practice of naturalistic modeling of cerebral lobes was used to demonstrate group identity, since the modeling of the cranial shape corresponding to a particular headdress was used to distinguish an individual’s social identity, separating different societal groups into ancestral societies. The custom has also been used to mark territory and emphasize native differences between groups, with potential cognitive implications that were largely unrecorded. © Eco-Vector, 2025. All rights reserved.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Hermilio Valdizán