Macrocephali

2025-09-19T11:51:15Z

82.4.209.82:

{{Short description|Ancient tribe of Africans or Indians who performed artificial cranial deformation}}{{about|the ancient tribe|the medical condition|Macrocephaly}}

The '''Macrocephali''' ({{langx|grc|Μακροκέφαλοι}}; "long-headed people") were ancient tribes living near the Black Sea who performed [[artificial cranial deformation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theoi.com/Phylos/Makrokephaloi.html|title=Macrocephali|accessdate=2008-12-28|work=[[Theoi Greek Mythology]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Museum of Foreign Literature, Science and Arts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TucXAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA612|year=1842|publisher=E. Littell|page=612}}</ref>

[[Pliny the Elder]], [[Pomponius Mela]], and [[Scylax]] all mention a people by this name living northeast of the region of [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]]. While the writer of the [[Periplus of the Euxine Sea]] identifies the Macrocephali with the [[Macrones]], but Pliny clearly considers them separate groups.<ref name="Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Macrocephali">[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0064%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DM%3Aentry+group%3D1%3Aentry%3Dmacrocephali-geo Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Macrocephali]</ref>

Their cultural practice of artificially shaping the skulls of their children was mentioned by [[Hesiod]], [[Hippocrates]],<ref>Hippocrates of Cos (1923) [''ca.'' 400 BC] Airs, Waters, and Places, Part 14, e.g., Loeb Classic Library Vol. 147, pp. 110-111 (W. H. S. Jones, transl., DOI: 10.4159/DLCL.hippocrates_cos-airs_waters_places.1923, see [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/hippocrates_cos-airs_waters_places/1923/pb_LCL147.111.xml?rskey=NcreTt&result=1&mainRsKey=ZaPSey]. Alternatively, the Adams 1849 and subsequent English editions (e.g., 1891), ''The Genuine Works of Hippocrates'' (Francis Adams, transl.), New York, NY, USA: William Wood, at the [MIT] Internet Classics Archive (Daniel C. Stevenson, compiler), see [https://classics.mit.edu/Hippocrates/airwatpl.14.14.html]. Alternatively, the Clifton 1752 English editions, "Hippocrates Upon Air, Water, and Situation; Upon Epidemical Diseases; and Upon Prognosticks, In Acute Cases especially. To which is added…" Second edition, pp. 22-23 (Francis Clifton, transl.), London, GBR: John Whiston and Benj. White; and Lockyer Davis, see [https://books.google.com/books?id=LNhhAAAAcAAJ]. All web versions accessed 1 August 2015.</ref><ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0248%3Atext%3DAer.%3Asection%3D14 Hippocrates, De aere aquis et locis, Charles Darwin Adams, Ed., 14]</ref>[[Pomponius Mela]], [[Pliny the Elder]], [[Gaius Valerius Flaccus|Valerius Flaccus]], [[Xenophon]], [[Strabo]], and [[Eustathius of Epiphania|Eustathius]].

[[Strabo]] mentions that the [[Siginni]] (Σίγιννοι), a barbaric tribe living near the Caucasus Mountains, deliberately altered the shape of their heads to make them appear longer.<ref name="Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), Macrocephali"/>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Greek legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Mythic humanoids]]

IndianPedia - User contributions [en]

Macrocephali