A Cross-Disciplinary Study of Facial Asymmetry in a Pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican Sculpture: Some Cultural and Rheumatological Insights.

Abstract

Background/historical perspective: Facial asymmetry has been recognized and represented in Mesoamerican and South American pre-Hispanic cultures.

Summary: This study aims to describe and contextualize an ancient pre-Hispanic stone face carving from the Early Postclassic Period (1200-1500 AD) discovered during excavations for the construction of what is now the National Rehabilitation Institute in Mexico City. The remarkable facial asymmetry of the artifact, suggesting facial paralysis, is a focal point for an interdisciplinary study combining bioarchaeology, anthropology, paleopathology, and rheumatology.

Conclusions: Although most causes of facial paralysis are idiopathic and pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican populations may have had a higher incidence of infections that could be the leading triggering cause, the potential connection between facial paralysis and rheumatic diseases in pre-Hispanic or pre-Columbian contexts is still a topic of ongoing investigation. This task remains highly relevant for rheumatologists who have traced the history and evolution of rheumatic diseases.

Future research: To understand the potential causes of disabilities in ancient societies, a comprehensive, holistic, and transdisciplinary approach is needed, including evidence-based reviews to analyze the relationship between facial paralysis and rheumatic diseases.