Scattered Skeletons & Curated Corpses:

Cases of Tricky Taphonomy

Alana Cordy-Collins, Ph.D.

Professor of Anthropology

University of San Diego

The North Coast of Peru

Curated Corpses

Sipán 1988

Only disarticulated tomb occupants = 3 adult females

San José de Moro1991-1992

5-7 yrs:cervical & thoracic vertebral skewing;both hands absent

L: 14-16 yr old female;thoracic disarticulation; hand bones loose behind pelvis;mandible disarticulated & rotated 180°

San José de MoroTomb of Elite Child

San José de Moro

Tomb of Priestess #1

R: partially disarticulated juvenile: mandible by L radius/ulna; R arm = radius only

Foot of Tomb (N..end)

San José de Moro

Tomb of Priestess #1

Priestess fully articulated

East adult female: cervical & thoracic vertebral disarticulation& sternal slippage

West adult female: cervical & most thoracic vertebrae, most ribs, both hands & feet, etc. absent

Head of Tomb (S end)

San José de Moro

Tomb of Priestess #2

Priestess before complete excavation: skeleton intact & articulated, however

Head of Tomb (S end)

Adult female with subtle disturbance of cranium slumped over thorax

Dos Cabezas1994

Dos CabezasTomb B

Female 40+ years: all vertebrae & ribs out of position; R humerus rotated 180°

Scattered Skeletons

San José de Moro

Tomb of Priestess #2Last interment: 16-25 year old female

Penultimate interment: 18-28 year old female

Majority of skeleton absent, L femur inverted, R navicular inside maxilla

Both femora inverted; L proximal humerus in vertical position; other disarticulations

San José de Moro

Tomb of Priestess #2Foot of Tomb (N..end)

Partial female age 17-19

Partial female age 18-20

Gracile cranium age 18-30

Dos Cabezas: Tomb B

Gracile ca. 25 year old: radii,R ulna, post-femorals, but missing R patella, L foot

Juvenile 14-16 years: L & R patellae, tibiae, tarsals-phalanges, L fibula

Female, ca 40 years: cranium, manubrium, R clavicle, scapulae (R intact), humeri (proximal L intact), 6 thoracic vertebrae; parrot bone

WHY?

Data review:

1 all relocated bodies are female or children

2 no adult males have been found as either

Curated Corpses or

Scattered Skeletons

Hypothesis : only females and children (female children?) were sought as ancestral companions of the newly and important dead

Ancestor worship?

No written records for ancient San José de Moro or Dos Cabezas

The Inka are well known for the practice

Dos Cabezas: 2000

Adult male:

• Tomb looted in antiquity

• Normal accompanying female burial absent, no other grave goods present

• Male casually reinterred