| Sumario: | A study reexamined the hypothesis that the biomechanical forces linked to cultural cranial deformation can influence the formation of sutural ossicles. Data were obtained from a single archeological sample of lamdoidally deformed, occipitally deformed, and undeformed crania from Hawikuh, New Mexico. Findings revealed no considerable difference in either the prevalence or number of ossicles between deformed and undeformed crania, implying that the abnormal strains produced by cranial shape modification during infancy are not a factor in ossicle development for this population. A significant association was observed at the right lambdoid suture in crania with asymmetrical occipital deformation. Though the effect was small, cranial deformities that were more concentrated on the left side exhibited larger numbers of ossicles on the right side. Moreover, the relationship may well show a sampling error because of the small number of crania with greater left side deformation and scorable right side lambdoid ossicles.
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