Fact check: Elongated skulls in Peru are human, not alien, expert says
The claim: Eye sockets in elongated skulls found in Latin America prove alien origin
In the late 1920s, Peruvian archeologist Julio Tello found hundreds of cone-shaped skulls in the Paracas region of Peru.
Their unique shape has prompted speculation over time, including various claims of an extraterrestrial origin.
That includes a Facebook post made on May 1 that describes the findings as if they happened just two weeks ago and then says, “Check the eye sockets 100% alien.”
The post was shared more than 500 times. USA TODAY reached out to the poster, who said, “the video was made by a local boy and looks 100% real.”
Fact check: Image from 1962 newspaper doesn’t show futuristic vision of 2022
But these remains are human.
Eyes are human, skull shape due to artificial cranial deformation
In the Facebook post, the user points out the shape of the skull and the eye sockets as proof of alien origin. But an expert on that time period says that’s not the case.
“The eye sockets are normal and perfectly within the range of human variation and look like eye sockets of other human skulls from Peru,” said Melissa S. Murphy, an anthropology professor at the University of Wyoming who specializes in the analysis of human remains from Peru.
The head shape is not normal. But it’s still human.
The shape is a result of cranial deformation or head binding, in which the normal growth and development of the head are altered during the first few years of life by applying cloth, bands or other devices.
“Prehispanic peoples on the south coast of Peru and elsewhere in Peru have engaged in this practice for thousands of years,” said Murphy. “Deliberate head shaping is a form of cultural modification of the body that marks different things, like one’s identity, a rite of passage, (or) an occupation.”
Fact check: Sinkhole caused a Missouri lake to drain — again
The Paracas skulls are on display at the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru located in Lima, Peru.
Our rating: False
The claim that the eye sockets of Peruvian skulls found in the region of Paracas prove an alien origin is FALSE, based on our research. The eyes are consistent with human features, and the cone shape of the skull is a result of artificial cranial deformation, according to an expert. No credible publication or source has corroborated that these skulls come from extraterrestrial beings.
Our fact-check sources:
- Facebook post, May 1
- National Geographic, accessed May 19, Julio C. Tello and the Paracas Peninsula
- ScienceDirect, October 2007, “Artificial cranial deformation in South America: a geometric morphometrics approximation”
- National Museum of the Archaeology, Anthropology, and History of Peru, accessed May 10
- Melissa S. Murphy, May 11, interview with USA TODAY
Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.
Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
Source: Read Full Article
