Wang, a biological anthropologist who spends some of his research time traveling the world to study skeletal remains from ancient burial sites, made international headlines in 2019 when he and other scientists announced the discovery of 25 skeletons, dating back roughly 5,000 years to 12,000 years, at a dig called Houtaomuga in northeast China. Eleven skeletons had skulls with artificially elongated braincases and flattened bones in the back of the heads, and the one dating back 12,000 years is believed to be the oldest example of artificial cranial deformation.
“There are many theories as to why these elongated deformations were performed,” said Wang, who was interviewed for the “Ancient Aliens” documentary several months ago. “We humans constantly reshape our bodies and our minds. The elongated head could have symbolized and amplified the person’s higher status within the group. The head-binding practice could be humans reimagining themselves to look like gods and goddesses.”
He said it’s possible the elongated head was paired with a head dressing, facial painting, fancy clothes, servants and an entourage.
The skulls were people believed to be between 3 and 40 years old, including males and females. The oldest one was likely a man about 40 years old, Wang said.
Houtaomuga was excavated from 2011 to 2015. Wang and researchers from Jilin University in China believe the deformations were performed in infancy by applying subtle pressure to babies’ skulls and wrapping their heads tightly with cloth and, sometimes, boards. The practice probably didn’t affect cognitive function.
Wang initiated Global History of Health Project – Asia Module in 2018, an international collaborative effort that aims to learn more about ancient humans and how their health varied through environmental and social changes. That includes examining skeletal collections from China, Japan, Mongolia, India and other countries.
Many of Wang’s studies on bones have been reported in scientific and general media outlets. He made international headlines in 2025 for the discovery of a 2,200-year-old Chinese burial of a young woman whose teeth were painted red with cinnabar, a toxic mineral made of mercury and sulfur. Wang named her Red Princess of the Silk Road and said she’s currently the first and only known example of cinnabar used to stain teeth.