Humans dress, adorn themselves, and modify their bodies. In the ancient Andes, people were concerned with aesthetics and had specific concepts of beauty. Both men and women used several different techniques to modify their physical appearance. For example, people spent much time removing facial andbody hair using metal tweezers.Common body adornments in the Andes included a variety of rings, plugs and plates that were placed in the ears, the nose and the lips. Headdresses were also common, as well as necklaces, breast and belt plates, bells and elaborate shawl pins. These objects could take many forms, often relating to the sacred world and highlighting the status and prestige of individuals.Body adornments are typically found in burial contexts. In comparison, and since people place a high value on body adornments, refuse deposits rarely contain such precious items. Elaborate face masks were often placed in the graves of higher status individuals. Masks could be made of various materials, including metal, and they could have inlays of shell, precious stones, or even plant resin to depict eyes and teeth.Beyond adornment, Andeans physically modified their body. The best known Andean practices are probably tattooing and cranial deformation. Due to the excellent preservation conditions in the coastal desert, ancient skeletons are often excavated with dried skin showing elaborate tattoos.Andean people also modified the shape of their head. In Inca times, different social and ethnic groups identified themselves after cranial shapes. Cranial modifications were achieved by pressing and strapping wooden pieces to the head during cranial growth. Nowadays, many artists look at prehistoric techniques to find inspiration for body adorning and modification.