Danielle Kurin, PhD, is a former University of California, Santa Barbara, professor who researches ancient civilizations of the central Andes through archeological excavations and the forensic examination of bones and skulls. Speaking with LiveScience in early 2022, Danielle Kurin opined on research into a cone-shaped, elongated skull that appears to have a metal implant in it.
The skull was given to Oklahoma City’s Museum of Osteology by an anonymous donor. If authentic, the find would be the earliest evidence of surgical implants among ancient Peruvians. The cone shape of the head is not unusual, as some ancient people of the Andes had a custom of squeezing the child’s developing head with bands to achieve a unique shape. In addition to the thinly hammered metal implant, the skull features a hole under the metal that may indicate trepanation, or an attempt to treat a cranial condition through primitive surgery. Dr. Kurin, reacting to a photo, described the implant as unlike anything she had seen. The older individual has fracture patterns in the skull that seem to indicate massive blunt-force trauma. With signs of healing apparent along concentric fracture lines, she believes that the man survived for some time after the injury, and the implant and hole may be related to efforts to treat him. She withheld further judgement on the authenticity of the find, noting that metallurgical technology varied widely across the Andes in that era, and that tests would be needed to place it in a specific locale. In addition, X-rays on the skull were needed to determine whether the purpose of the metal was to cover an open cranial fracture or a trepanation hole.
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Teaching and researching at the University of California, Santa Barbara, for almost a decade Danielle Kurin, PhD, has an extensive background in archaeology and seeks out clues from the past provided by skeletal and mummified remains. Danielle Kurin’s field research has explored some of the mountainous Central Andes regions of South America, particularly Peru.
In late 2021, some researchers, part of the Lambayeque Valley Archaeological Project, discovered what appeared to be the remains of about 29 people at the Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucala excavation site in Peru. They believe these bodies may have been part of a ritual sacrifice to deities at the pre-Inca temple. Situated in the Lambayeque region of Northern Peru, the temple site contains four graves, with the skeletons estimated to belong to toddlers and teenagers. One theory is that the sacrifice was carried out when the temple was erected as part of local ceremonies. This is the first-ever human offering linked to the Wari civilization, which inhabited the south-central Andes from 500 CE to 1000 CE and had settlements along Peru’s coast. Another significant aspect of the find is that it’s the first Wari ceremonial temple uncovered so far from the civilization’s main sphere of influence. It may lead scholars to reassess how Mochica and Wari cultures coexisted within the region. An accomplished author and researcher, Danielle Kurin is a former assistant professor and later tenured associate professor of bioarchaeology at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Danielle Kurin also has conducted extensive research on mummies from pre-historic sites throughout the Andes Mountains region.
Computerized tomography (CT) allows non-destructive evaluation of both external and internal structures of mummies, and human remains with non-bony tissues that have been preserved through natural or human processes. Current algorithms allow more definitive manipulation of CT data into real-time three-dimensional formats, which expands the applications of the technology. CT has been a very efficient tool for archaeological and anthropological studies of mummies since it allows important findings - such as the origin and evolution of diseases - without destroying the integrity of specimens. However, interpreting results may be challenging; for instance, the structural difference between ancient and modern soft tissues may confound standard radiological interpretation protocols. Another issue is that the mummification process may alter the appearance of tissues on scans, which can have critical implications for interpretation. Some literature argues that accurate anatomical evaluation may only be attained through more invasive means. A former assistant professor and later tenured associate professor of bioarchaeology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Danielle Kurin, PhD, has undertaken field investigations in the Andes in areas of pre-Columbian research such as natural disaster, health, and human migration. One subject in which Danielle Kurin has in-depth knowledge is trepanation, or the ancient practice of drilling holes in the skull and removing a cranial vault section.
The practice was introduced in the south-central Andean highlands from AD 200-600 and was used in treating conditions that ranged from brain trauma to psychosomatic illness. The practice ended with the arrival of the colonial Spanish in the early 1500s. The ubiquity of the practice is in evidence in burial cave excavations Dr. Kurin guided in the Peruvian province of Andahuaylas. Among the remains of 32 people dating back to AD 1000-1250 at one site, 45 distinct trepanation procedures were cataloged. As Dr. Kurin described it, archeological evidence reveals the use of a number of different trepanation techniques, including cutting, scraping, and hand drilling. With the procedure largely limited to male skulls, the aim was to go through the bone without touching the brain. In many cases there is evidence that the trepanation healed, through “finger-like projections of bone” that grew back over a period of years. Dr. Kurin noted that the experimentation with various surgical techniques reflected a backdrop of sudden social collapse of the Wari civilization around 1000 AD and subsequent attempts to safeguard people against disease and violence. She compares trepanation’s progress with research into new medical techniques that have accompanied later conflicts, such as the U.S. Civil War. |
AuthorDanielle Kurin - Award-Winning Educator and Researcher. Archives
June 2023
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