Large Cranial Vault Lesions (Scalping?) Among the Guanches (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study is to describe some large lesions observed in cranial vaults belonging to pre‐Hispanic individuals (Guanches) from Tenerife. Among the 41 pre‐Hispanic skulls housed at the Instituto de Canarias Cabrera Pinto of the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands), we identified two cases from Barranco del Agua de Dios, an archaeological site with many dwelling sites and burial caves that was occupied by the pre‐Hispanic population at least since the sixth century ce . The two skulls correspond to male adults and show large (up to 50 cm 2 ) oval‐shaped, slightly depressed lesions, surrounded by a bony ridge. The remodeling process in the affected area has led to a relatively smooth surface, with microporotic lesions and interrupted cranial sutures. Computed tomography (CT) studies revealed the absence of diploe and apparent fusion of both tables in the affected areas, with preservation of the inner table. CT features and interruption of the cranial sutures strongly differ from the alterations described in cases affected with the so‐called sincipital T lesion. Transverse subtle marks are observed in the frontal and posterior parts of both parietal bones. An apparent healing process of these marks has led to more or less complete obliteration, especially in one of the skulls. Although differential diagnosis may include some infectious diseases and trauma, the findings suggest that the Guanches also performed scalping. The reason for which this procedure was performed is largely unknown (perhaps therapeutical, or ritual, as discussed later). One limitation of this study lies in the fact that the diagnostic possibility is only based on the similitude of the lesion with those described in other populations of the world. More research is needed, especially regarding the comparison of the meaning of these lesions with the so‐called sincipital T.