Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-09
A TREPHINED INCA SKULL.
y Curious Specimen Sent to the Ma
ti0mal Museum from Peru.

Modern surgery has brought to perfection
methods of trephIning skulls of the living. The
researches Of anthropologists, however show
that trephining has been practiced by saw
age races both Of the present and of prehistoric
times. Skulls of the dead have been trephined
by savage or semi-savage people for various
purposes. Some trephined skulls have been
found indicating that the operation was per-
formed long enough before the death Of the
individual to allow q certain degree of healing
Prot. Otis T. Mason, curator of the department
of ethnology, National museum in a recent
number OF the published proceedings of the
museum, says the most remarkable specimen
Of post mortem trephining which has yet come
to Hight Is one recently received by the museum
from Dr: "; n, Jones, Z: :. \; 1T Is skull"
near Chosica. o mountain in Peru. near Lima,
about 900 feet high. Three mummies-man,
woman and chtid-were obtained from one
grave. From the same place were obtained
several skulls of peculiar shape. including the
one undo consideration. The specimen belongs
70 the elongated Inca type. The section or
ROUNDED was taken from the center of the
frontal bone, and the opening is about 81,
inches in length and nearly two inches In
width The outline OF the cutting is n polygon
Eight distinct burrows are visible upon the sur
face OF the skull. The work seems to have
been done In the most bungling manner. One
fnrrow must have been cut across the space
longitudinally, and the parts on either side of
this main furrow were taken away piecemeal
by combination of burrows and fractures. AT
the extremity OF some of the burrows scratches
visible. which seem 10 indicate that the
bone WAS removed by means OF a Clipped stone
implement II is impossible to conjecture the
design of this singular custom. We are not
able TO say even whether the bone was taken
out just previous TO or after death. No ron.
deies or fragments of the bone removed have
been fourd In this continent similar to those
discovered by NJ. Prunieres."
The specimen is so deformed, Prof. Mason
says, as to admit of no delicate measurements
In addition To the usual defamation produced
by bandaging. the occpiial region is slightly
bent TO the lett, and the nasal spine SO COM
pletely warped towards the LEFT as to be seen
entirely In front OF the orifce on that side
After describing more infinitely the burrows
and gashes, and the methods by which the ire
phtning was apparently done, Prof. Mason saws:
''Thus, by a series of saw-cuts and breaks this
mass Of bone, which by courtesy we may call a
rondetie, was removed. IL can hardly be said
10 throw light upon The problem, for il has in
troduced n complication of surgery quite un-
known hitherto ] may be allowed to venture
aguess that the somewhat quadrangular pieces
which would result from the two operations,
bounded by the cross line, were wrought into
some useful thing. like the point of an arrow or
spear. Instances are not wanting among peo-
pie % low civilization where human bones
have been considered 10 have great potency