Ancient Trophy Head Found in Peru Shows First Known Case of Cleft Lip

Stirrup spout vessel depicting a tattooed man with a unilateral cleft lip. Credit: Beth K. Scaffidi / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 A preserved human head from ancient Peru has revealed the first known case of cleft lip and palate identified in a trophy head from the Andes. The discovery adds a rare example of this congenital condition to the archaeological record in South America and provides new insights into how individuals with physical differences may have been perceived in ancient societies....