--- In austric@yahoogroups.com, TTT UUU <gymnogoy@...> wrote:
 
> On p.199 a mother from the New Britian Islands, east of New
> Guinea, is photographed binding he head of an infant with bark
> cloth to elongate the skull. This custom was common in central and
> south America but I had not known it was practiced in the New
> Guinea region.

Artificial cranial deformation, a practice having a prehistoric
origin, was once practised in all five continents. The great British
anthropologist Eric John Dingwall has written an entire book on this
subject. It can be read in full at

http://www.artificialcranialdeformation.info/Dingwall/index.htm

See also the interesting collection of quotes on this subject (with
pictures) at

http://tinyurl.com/5554hm

Regards,
Francesco