DradisPing
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User ID: 1102
DradisPing
2d ago
It wouldn't need to start with newborns or permanent deformation. The nobles didn't need to start until it was proven to be reasonably safe.
You can still cause permanent, but less dramatic, skull deformations in teens.
So it could have started with elaborate ceremonial headwear for teen slaves. After they noticed the permanent changes they started doing it for aesthetic reasons to younger and younger slaves. After they noticed benefits they reserved it for themselves.
DradisPing
4d ago
Neat post, but I think you're downplaying the likelihood of independent discovery.
It's actually quite easy to deform the head short term with headwear. For a modern example look up gamer dent / headphone dent.
The path could be just just "upper class wears elaborate headwear" -> "upper class notices head shape changes" -> "upper class starts doing it on purpose". I can imagine that happening in multiple places independently.
My understanding is that circumcision isn't much of a mystery, it has practical benefits in the desert. Sand in the foreskin isn't comfortable if you can't spare water to get it out.
There are other theories about why it spread more broadly, but those are more speculative.
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