Ancient sculptures hint at universal facial expressions across cultures
Researchers take a novel approach to interpreting expressions of emotion
A roughly 1,200- to 1,400-year-old sculpture from a Mexican site shows a beaming Maya woman holding a child. The woman’s glowing look contributed to a study concluding there are universal facial expressions.
Princeton University Art Museum 2003-26, gift of G.G. Griffin
Grimaces, scowls and doting gazes of ancient human sculptures indicate that there are universal facial expressions that signal the same emotions across cultures, researchers argue.