Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 77. (Budapest 1985)
Pap, I.: Data to the problem of artificial cranial deformation, Part 3.
as there were only one or very few such skulls in each of them. As far as the anthropological material of Keszthely-Fenékpuszta— which contains a relatively very high percentage of deformed skulls —is concerned, we can ascertain only the fact that cranial distortion was applied on the skulls of both sexes, and nothing more. The other problem is the type of head deformation. All skulls from the territory of Hungary published up till now belong to the same, so-called circular type of destortion. The different type determination which sometimes occurs results from the differences of classification. As far as the practical execution of deformation is concerned, all the authors agree that the circular type of deformation was done by applying one or two deforming bandages. The first bandage started from the forehead and ran across the temporal region to the nape of the neck. The authors also agree on the point that if two bandages were used then the second one started from the crown of the head and its pressure caused the impressio postbregmaticum behind the sutura coronalis on the parietal bone. According to the opinion of a number of authors this bandage was also directed towards the nape of the neck or this was applied crosswise over the first one. LIPTÁK (1983) expressed his view that this bandage could by no means reach under the chin as it would have prevented mandibular movement. However, the results of the analysis carried out on the skulls of Keszthely-Fenékpuszta are contrary to this theory. Not only the direction of the impression made by the second bandage but the deformations observed on the mandible (the extremely small size of capitulum mandibulae and its very pronounced flattened form) also seem to indicate that the bandage in question ran under the chin with all certainty. When comparing the mandibles of individuals with deformed skulls to those of undeformed ones, we can see striking decreases of gonion length, condylus length, ramus mandibulae height and symphysis height. The considerable decrease found in males as well as females can probably be attributed to the underchin deforming bandage. The fitting of this bandage in this direction was noted by ÖZBEK (1974) when examining the skulls from Byblos (4th millenium B.C.). He carried out a detailed analysis of mandibula symphysis and corpus mandibulae heights. When he compared undeformed male mandibles to deformed female mandibles he pointed out a decrease in measurements. Of course the second bandage was not tied so tightly that it would have prevented the intake of food. At the same time opening the mouth automatically made the bandage tighter, this way contributing to deformation and making it more effective. The existence of a deformation subtype with the use of a bandage reaching down under the chin can in no way be precluded on the basis of the analysis of mandibles. Though the material from Hungary is relatively rich, it does not make it possible to set clear-cut conclusions on ethnic groups. Objective obstacles such as the limited number of cases, the sometimes uncertain dating and primarily the incomplete uncovering would prevent us from using distortion as an indicator of ethnic units if otherwise the presence of a given ethnic group could be proven by historical evidence and by archaeological findings too. The Ostrogoths starting from Eastern-Ukraine arrived at the territory of Transdanubia as part of the Great Migration already in 380. In 456 they settled down in Pannónia as the allies of the East Roman Empire for a short period, after crossing the Carpathian Basin several times before. Later they entered this region on more than one occasion without staying here for longer periods. There are some historical sources verifying the settling down of Gothic-Alan ethnic groups in the Transdanubian region. The archaeological findings and the custom of intentional head formation confirm this. On the other hand, ethnic groups cannot be separated purely on the basis of anthropological data without sufficient historical and archaeological information.
