A 1600-year-old newborn skull with a single eye socket in the center of the forehead has been discovered in Peru. This unusual find has allowed scientists to study a rare genetic disorder called cyclopia that was present among ancient populations.
The skull was found during excavations of an ancient cemetery inside a ceramic vessel containing the remains of two newborns. One of them showed no abnormalities, while the other had a single eye socket, lacked nasal bones, and nasal passages.
This genetic disorder is known as Patau syndrome. According to scientists, the children were buried between 325 and 440 AD. The discovery indicates that this rare chromosomal disorder existed thousands of years ago as well.
