First Archaeological Proof of Nose-Cutting Punishment in Ancient China
Archaeologists analyzing a 2018 excavation in Henan report a female skeleton with a healed nasal injury, providing the first archaeological indication that nasal amputation was used as a punishment in ancient China and that some victims survived the procedure. The find, linked to China’s historical “Five Punishments,” is currently a single case with limited contextual evidence, but it supports historical records and points to ongoing efforts to uncover more examples.