Macrocephali

This article is about the ancient tribe. For the medical condition, see Macrocephaly.

The Macrocephali (Ancient Greek: Μακροκέφαλοι; "long-headed people") were ancient tribes of Africans or Indians who performed artificial cranial deformation.^[1][2]

Some ancient authors mention such tribes also at Caucasus and in the north-east of Pontus (region).^[3]

Their cultural practice of artificially shaping the skulls of their children was mentioned by Hesiod, Hippocrates,^[4] Pomponius Mela, Pliny the Elder, Valerius Flaccus, Xenophon, Strabo, and Eustathius.