Cultures & Traditions

Dwarfism and kyphosis (hunched back) are some of the most common types of physical disabilities represented in the art and archaeology of many societies around the world. A number of historical documents and a diverse folklore describe individuals with dwarfism and kyphosis in cultures from Alaska, Africa, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hawaii, Ireland, Iceland, India, Korea, Lithuania, the Netherlands, North America, Norway, Scandinavia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.