1,400‑Year‑Old Cube‑Shaped Skull Found Near Balcón de Montezuma Reveals Unique Cranial Modification

Rare Cube‑Shaped Skull Discovered at Balcón de Montezuma

Archaeologists excavating near the Balcón de Montezuma archaeological complex in Tamaulipas, east‑central Mexico, have identified an unusual cube‑shaped human skull that provides the first evidence of a previously undocumented regional form of cranial modification dating to about 1,400 years ago.

The skull, belonging to a middle‑aged man, was recovered from material associated with a village that emerged around A.D. 400. The broader site was occupied by several Mesoamerican groups from about 650 B.C. to A.D. 1200, and at its height the settlement included roughly 90 circular houses arranged around two plazas, according to the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Distinctive Head Shaping

Biological anthropologist Jesús Ernesto Velasco González, speaking in an INAH translation, said that although artificial cranial modification is known at the site, this individual’s skull presents a distinct morphology. Many cultures practiced cone‑shaped modification, where infant heads were bound with fabric or padding so the skull elongated in an oblique direction. At Balcón de Montezuma, most modified skulls show an 'erect' profile—padding at the front and/or back produces a more upright or pointy shape.

This newly analyzed specimen represents a different variant of erect modification: the top of the cranium was flattened, producing a cube‑like or parallelepiped form (a three‑dimensional rhomboid). Until now, similar flat‑topped forms had been documented primarily in regions such as Veracruz and parts of the Maya area.

Chemical Analysis and Cultural Implications

Because comparable morphologies elsewhere suggested the possibility the individual was an outsider, researchers analyzed the chemistry of his bones and teeth. Those tests indicate he was born locally, likely lived his life in the area and died there—suggesting the head‑shaping practice was adopted locally rather than being the marker of a foreign resident.

"The morphology is unique in our assemblage and points to a culturally specific practice whose meaning remains unclear," said Tonantzin Silva Cárdenas, director of INAH Tamaulipas.

Across Mesoamerica, subtle differences in cranial form often correspond to social, cultural or group identity. The team proposes that although the man was local, those who performed the shaping might have belonged to a distinct cultural tradition, or the style could reflect a localized ritual or status marker.

Ongoing Research

INAH officials say further study of artifacts and skeletal remains from previous excavations at Balcón de Montezuma is ongoing and will help clarify the site's cultural connections with surrounding pre‑Hispanic communities.

Key Facts: cube‑shaped skull; dated to ~A.D. 600 (about 1,400 years old); recovered at Balcón de Montezuma, Tamaulipas; chemical analyses indicate local origin; represents a unique, flat‑topped variant of erect cranial modification.