Anthropology 2239A - Mummies - Fall 2024/2025 PDF

The UNIVERSITY of WESTERN ONTARIO Department of Anthropology Anthropology 2239A Mummies: The Scientific and Cultural Analysis of Human Mummies Fall 2024/2025...

The UNIVERSITY of WESTERN ONTARIO Department of Anthropology Anthropology 2239A Mummies: The Scientific and Cultural Analysis of Human Mummies Fall 2024/2025 “Lady Hudson” Instructor: Dr. Andrew Nelson TA: Hanne Andersen Office: Social Science Centre 3323 Office: SSC 3301 Tuesday 10:30-11:30 Office Hours: Thursday 11:00-noon UWO email: [email protected] Phone: 519-661-2111 x 85085 email: [email protected] TA: Chloe Sarmento Time: Monday 1:30-3:30 Office: SSC 3417 Wednesday 1:30-2:30 Place: UWO email: [email protected] Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/unprecedented-discovery-17th-century-mummy-brains-show-evidence- of-cocaine-use-1.7018779 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  https://knewz.com/world/archaeologists-stunned-by-the-discovery-of-2-000-year-old-mummies-with- golden-tongues/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  https://learning.uwo.ca/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  from last week mortuary anthropology fundamental assumption is that mortuary context is a window onto the broader world of the society under study the organizational structure/complexity of the society and that this context in some way reflects the biological and social persona of the deceased individual, and the society’s response to their death ethnographic studies have documented a three stage structure to rites of passage including funerals – death, transition, reintegration – lots of variability in how those stages are expressed – we went through several example modern and other ethnographic examples – Nyakusa, Dayak and Quechan Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  mortuary archaeology went in detail through the example that was used in the reading of the Middle Woodland site to highlight how different theoretical perspectives could come to different conclusions talked about differences in theoretical approach between processual and post-processual archaeology and how mummy studies really lies in between – adding in the biomedical perspectives and methods and a common focus on the individual mortuary archaeology and mummy studies in particular, is profoundly affected by differing theoretical perspectives Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  point is - these different mortuary rituals all follow the same essential structure but also vary greatly reflect some aspect of the society and the individual being buried but the reflection is not perfect especially for the archaeological record – filtering so we must be cautious mummification stops or delays decomposition particularly affects/extends the transition phase Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 forensic anthropology and decomposition is all about the legal aspects of the recovery and analysis of human remains key concept – taphonomy – everything that affects a body between death, burial and recovery the body goes through stages of decomposition fresh early decomposition or bloated decay skeletal or dry remains Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  various things can affect that process key for mummification – stop autolysis – generally involves desiccation main things we tend to look at: wrappings/clothing burial environment – esp dry sand free air circulation deliberate intervention temperature – cool / freezing different kinds of mummies produced by altering those factors natural mummies – salt caves, bogs, glaciers, deserts, church crypts anthropogenic mummies – evisceration, textile wrappings, embalming (modern, arsenic) Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Andean Cultural History Generally divided in Horizons, where dominant cultural influences were widely felt, and Intermediate periods, where local cultures flourished. These cultural periods are generally characterized by ceramic typologies. Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  The Earliest Mummies Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru sedentary fisher folks fish, shell fish, sea mammals and coastal birds also hunters and gatherers earliest site = Acha – 7000 BC (9000 BP) latest – ca. 1100 BC before agriculture and ceramics living along the desert coast water sources were very important Arriaza et al. 2008: 48 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru earliest mummy = Acha Man 7000 BC from the site of Acha naturally mummified ca. 30% of the Chinchorro mummies known are naturally mummified http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1995/03/chinchorro-mummies/arriaza-text Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru earliest anthropogenically prepared mummy – ca. 6000-5000 BC earliest anthropogenically prepared mummies in the world! from the Camarones Valley in Chile preparation was elaborate various typologies Arriaza – Natural Natural + mud Black Red Red + skin bandages Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru Type 1 = naturally desiccated in the desert sand http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1995/03/chinchorro-mummies/arriaza-text Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru Type 1a = naturally desiccated in the desert sand then covered in mud from head to toe https://lizreyes08.wordpress.com/chinchorro-mummification/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru Type 2 Black Mummies secondary burials the body was first buried then exhumed for cleaning the body was dismembered, treated and reassembled defleshed and bones dried skeletal structure reassembled (in correct position) body form modeled in clay skin reattached body painted with a manganese paste http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/chinchorro.htm Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru Type 3 - Red Mummies incisions at shoulders, groin, knees and ankles organs and muscles removed head detached brain removed sticks slipped under the skin to give the body support stuffed the cavities with feathers, soil and hair incisions sutured with human hair body painted with red ochre http://chinchorromummies.tumblr.com/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru Type 3a – Bandaged and corded mummies skin reattached as bandages many sticks and reeds used Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru not everyone was mummified all/many infants were mummified both males and females were mummified the first artificial mummies are the Black Mummies ca. 6000-5000BC to ca. 2800BC Red Mummies – ca. 2000BC – 1500BC Bandaged Mummies – ca. 2000 BC Mud Coated Mummies – ca. 1700 BC the anatomical and technical skill of the mummification methods argues for specialists Sanz et al. 2014: 65 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru children were first mummified infant mortality ca. 21-26% - high Arriaza has proposed the “adoration of children hypothesis” for the origin of mummification argued that the high mortality rate was due to high levels of naturally occurring arsenic in the environment (soil) however, an MA thesis done at Western (Boston 2007) showed that pathological lesions associated with arsenic poisoning are the same in Chinchorro populations as they are in other S. American populations Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru explanations now generally state that the mummies were being used as religious icons an ancestor cult perhaps for intervention against climate change evidence for a complex funerary ritual perhaps surprisingly complex, given the apparent lack of social complexity however, while the body treatment was complex, there is no apparent expression of status, which is consistent with other cultural evidence perhaps they were used to represent the group’s control of valuable resources (water) (a la Processual Archaeology) Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chinchorro Chile & Southern Peru Quiani Period mummy from Ilo, Peru 1500-1300BC naturally mummified Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Spanish Conquest pre-Ceramic periods Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Beliefs Inca – early 1200s -1533 AD originated as a small polity in the Southern Andes – Cusco burst forth (early 1400s) using conquest and politics to rule an empire from Ecuador to Chile The Inca – the King – was descended from the Sun – Inti a lot is known about the Inca because of the Spanish Chronicles as well as abundant archaeological remains http://www.vivremachupicchu.com/Incas.html Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Succession Atahualpa 1532 civil war & conquest Huascar 1527 Huayna Capac 1490s expansion Topa Inca Yupanqui 1460s Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui 1430s Viracocha Inca 1420 Yahuar Huaca 1380 Inca Roca 1350 consolidation Capac Yupanqui 1320 Mayta Capac 1290 Lloque Yupanqui 1260 Sinchi Roca 1260 Manco Capac early 1200s Inti - the sun god Viricocha - creator god Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Beliefs how’d they do that? in part… they had a system of “split inheritance” when one Inca died, he was mummified and kept in his house, where he still ruled his lands and estate his mummy was cared for by his panaca his son inherited the power of the throne, and had to go out to conquer new territory for taxation and build a new palace and acquire resources for his panaca who will ultimately take care of his mummy http://www.ancient.eu/image/2612/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Beliefs on the death of the Inca all members of his household dressed in dark clothes and lived in darkness successor named in secret provincial lords brought to Cusco the Inca’s women were all sacrificed, along with sons, volunteers and young children the dead Inca was prepared as a bundle and placed with his ancestors process took a long time involved turning him into a venerated ancestor – a mallqui and a divine being 10 day mourning period chicha and camelid sacrifices after a year – festival in Cusco that lasted a month feasting, processing, dancing, battle re-enactments, mass sacrifices throughout the empire Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  The Mummes of the Incas were considered to be alive they were consulted for their opinions (via an interpreter) they were offered libations members of their panaca cared for the mummy fanning flies off treating the skin with unguents they could – if need be – be represented by their guaugue an idol, that contained nail clippings, ashes, skin etc of the real mummy at rituals they (or their guaugue) would make an appearance in 1534, the first post-conquest Inca was installed in Cusco ALL the mummies of the preceding Inca Kings participated each mummy (and their associated panacas) gave his approval to the new Inca therefore, the elite of the community blessed the transition the festival took a month Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 The Mummy of the Inca The Mummy of the Inca being cared for at home coming out for a public ritual Dean 2010: 28 https://recipes.hypotheses.org/8092 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies not much is know about how they made their mummies Betanzos: “so no damage would be done to him, without breaking a single bone, they adorned and seasoned him in the sun and air, and after he was dried and seasoned, they dressed him in expensive clothes and placed him on a litter” (Heaney 2016: 2-3) they “had him opened, and all his flesh removed” (Heaney 2016: 2) used a substance called Tulo or “Peruvian Balsam” – that has strong antiseptic properties Cobo: “body was kept with great care, and it was so well preserved with certain bitumen and concoctions that it appeared to be alive” (Isbell 1997: 42) the word the Spaniards used to describe the mummies was embalsamados – “the emblamed” Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies Cusco relative humidity moderate – varies from 48% (June/July) to 65% (Jan/Feb) cool – varies from 8.9o (Jul) to 12.6o (Nov) precipitation varies greatly – from 1.5mm (Jun) to 145.3mm (Jan) figures vary for mummification humidity on the high side (50% considered to be the level to foster mold & bacteria) cool – blow flies still active in the 5-13o range precipitation will affect local humidity natural mummification is not possible Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies also not much is know about who all was mummified clearly the Inca Kings and their Queens in the provinces – local leaders heads of ayllus - descent groups Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies the Inca mummies were considered to be alive were considered to be part of the ritual life of the population played a role in the spiritual and natural worlds to ensure the fertility of their descendants were representative of the ancestors (mallqui) were embodiments of the political system and its control over resources and matters of daily life “the dead person was not at the end of his career, but was at the beginning of candidacy for ancestral greatness” (Salmon 1995: 343) Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies If we examine this in the way we talked about last week… separation – death – immediate mourning period transition – extended mourning period preparation of the mummy reintegration – month long festival the society reintegrates around the new Inca but the dead Inca is reintegrated into the society in a new role there is no ultimate separation Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies what did the Spaniards think of this? they were impressed by the apparent medical expertise but, having subjugated the Empire, wanted to subjugate its symbols of power early on, even as they looted the mummies for their gold masks etc, they treated them with respect (took shoes and hats off) then, the locals hid the mummies the mummy of Viricocha was the first to be found Pizarro tortured “Indians, men and women” to force them to tell him where the mummy was hidden once found, the mummy was burned but the panaca gathered up his ashes and placed them with his guaugue Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mummies then the local magistrate was forced to round up the rest in 1559 recovered by the Spaniards mummy guauge Atahualpa Huascar Huayna Capac  Topa Inca Yupanqui  Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui  Viracocha Inca  (ashes)  Yahuar Huaca Inca Roca   Capac Yupanqui   Mayta Capac   Lloque Yupanqui  Sinchi Roca   Manco Capac  they were taken to a hospital in Lima, where they were on display as curios for ca. 20 years their power dissipated eventually destroyed or buried Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  The Changing Role of Inca Mummies before the Conquest, the mummies were considered to be alive, and to be a vital part of the community they had developed elaborate methods to eviscerate, desiccate and anoint the bodies to preserve them for many generations after the conquest, the locals saw the mummies (and their guaugues) as potent symbols of power and resistance to the Spanish occupation only given up under pain of torture while the Spaniards saw them as deceased kings or idols that needed to be extirpated from the religion they were trying to defeat ultimately successful (sort of) reduced the kings to curios when they were removed from context to Lima the publication of the chronicle by Garcilaso de la Vega in 1625 established the Inca as champion embalmers by the 1800s, Spanish scholars were excavating and describing Inca mummies in the name of antiquarian research Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Laguna de los Condores discovered early 1997 site contained hundreds of well preserved mummy bundles Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  http://www.enperu.org/sitios-turiticos-de-amazonia-como-laguna-de-condores- informacion-util-amazonas.html Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru some bundles are secondary collections of skeletonized bone these date to the Chachapoyas Period ca. 800 AD to 1470 AD some bundles are carefully prepared mummies these date to the Inca Period ca. 1470 AD to 1532 AD Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Key diagnostic characteristics of the Inca Period mummies from Laguna de los Condores some suggestion that anthropogenic mummification may have taken place in the preceding Late Intermediate Period but predominant burial practice in the LIP was the secondary burial of dried bundles of bones bundles not buried – but kept in chulpas allowing access to them thus, access to the ancestors appears to have been an important theme thus, in the presence of the Incas – mummification became the dominant aspect of the mortuary ritual but still with the continuity of the chulpa Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru The Inca occupation of the Chachapoyas area was a military conquest. it took 40,000 Inca troops to defeat the Chachapoyans The occupation brought about changes in: language administration craft production religion burial practices Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru The collection is now housed at the Museo Leymebamba, under the direction of The Bioanthropology Foundation Peru - Centro Mallqui http://museoleymebamba.org/ley_index_en.htm Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru The analysis of Inca Period mummies from Laguna de Los Condores Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Key diagnostic characteristics of the Inca Period mummies from Laguna de los Condores evisceration of abdominal (sometimes thoracic) organs through the anus anus plugged with a cotton “tampon” skin treated with an organic preservative nose and cheeks stuffed with cotton bodies hyperflexed – knees to chest, hands at chin body wrapped in layers of plain weave cotton fly casings suggest that the preparation ritual was a lengthy one outermost layer often decorated with geometric designs and / or faces / or bundle enclosed in wooden staves Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Key diagnostic characteristics of the Inca Period mummies from Laguna de los Condores Anal evisceration and tampon Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Key diagnostic characteristics of the Inca Period mummies from Laguna de los Condores Hyperflexed body position Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Chachapoyas, Northern Peru Key diagnostic characteristics of the Inca Period mummies from Laguna de los Condores Presence of fly casings Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  CMA 0218 preliminary analysis of the collection has included an extensive radiographic survey done between 1998 & 2001 survey included 188 mummies and approximately 900 individual radiographs several individuals were flagged as showing lesions possibly indicative of tuberculosis CMA 0218 identified as a candidate for further review as a possible case of tuberculosis on the basis of the presence of calcified nodes in the abdomen, thoracic cavity and neck this mummy had been damaged by looters therefore, it was chosen for more extensive radiography and a collaborative autopsy to further investigate the possible diagnosis of TB Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Osteobiography sex = female Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Osteobiography age = middle aged/old adult stature = 146.4cm (del Angel & Cisneros 2004/Genovés 1967) Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Osteobiography isolated lines of arrested growth very poor dental health “kissing” lytic lesions in the pubic symphysis Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Osteobiography indications of small calcified nodules in front of the cervical spine and in the lungs suggestive of calcified cervical lymph nodes and mediastinal/pulmonary nodes pulmonary TB Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Differential Diagnosis Classic expression in archaeological material: - contiguous lower thoracic/lumbar involvement – Pott’s spine - destruction of the articular surfaces of joints (esp. the hip) (involvement of the pubic symphysis rare) - periosteal bone formation on the ribs CMA 0218 the calcified lesions in the mediastinal and deep http://www.123rf.com/ cervical lymph nodes are consistent with a diagnosis of pulmonary TB no skeletal involvement Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Excised lung mass hyoid lung mass with associated vessels cervical mass with associated vessels Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024 Overlay of photo and x-ray of the lung mass pulmonary nodes deep cervical nodes hyoid lung mass with associated vessels cervical mass with associated vessels Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  objective: to “ground truth” radiographic suggestion of pulmonary TB diagnosis of pulmonary TB based on the radiological and physical examination of calcified lymph mediastinal and cervical nodes without accompanying skeletal involvement confirms the initial radiological diagnosis the broad radiological survey identified a prevalence for pulmonary TB of 15% to 25% in this Chachapoyan sample (ca. 6% show the classic spinal presentation) (Conlogue 2002) suggests that we are significantly underestimating the true prevalence of TB when looking at skeletal data alone Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  yeah… so what? the fact that we have these mummified individuals demonstrating lesions of TB, that would not otherwise be detected by looking at the skeleton alone tells us… a lot about living conditions TB thrives in unsanitary environments many people in very close contact transmitted in airborne particles Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  yeah… so what? the fact that we have these mummified individuals demonstrating lesions of TB, that would not otherwise be detected by looking at the skeleton alone tells us… a lot about living conditions not good!! its transmission is also facilitated by the movement of people and about the history of disease more about that later in the course Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  yeah… so what? what can we reconstruct about their mortuary ritual? it took some time for the body to be prepared and finally wrapped the insect remains the bodies were interred in collective tombs high on a cliff face over looking a highland lake sounds a lot like an expression of corporate claim over land that practice followed from one period to the next Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  yeah… so what? the mummification probably allowed an extended transitional period while collective internment was the reintegration event emphasizes community over individuality but even after interment, the bundles were available in the chulpas some appear to have been rewrapped or touched up in antiquity still part of ongoing life Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  another form of burial among the Chachapoya is the sarcophagi large wooden and plaster figures on cliff faces, with burials tucked into their bodies not mummies – but speaking to the importance of having markers overlook the landscape, that contain human remains to give them power http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-americas/cloud-warriors- mysterious-power-lost-chachapoya-culture-004628 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies Tucume (North Coast) naturally mummified buried in sandy conditions and wrapped with plentiful textiles tightly flexed Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies Pachacamac (Central Coast) naturally mummified tightly flexed abundant textile wrapping forming a “bale” bundles often have a false head (falsa cabeza) https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/the-mummies-of- pachacamac/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies Puruchuco (Central Coast) naturally mummified tightly flexed abundant textile wrapping forming a “bale” bundles often have a false head (falsa cabeza) http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/content/Inca/ Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies lots of variability we have to be careful about generalizing across space and time the idea of access to at least some of the mummies seems to be a wide spread theme that gets layered onto local beliefs and practices Bill Isbell has argued that mummies and funerary structures that allow access to the mummies represents the development of a specific kinship structure – the ayllu Wilkawain http://www.simoncane.co.uk/notes_on_trips/peru %20blog/peru_diary_8.html Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies the head of the ayllu is the venerated ancestor (mallqui), represented by a mummy the Spanish Chronicles report that one strategy the Incas used when trying to subjugate a group was to kidnap the group’s mallqui the mallquis would function in the provinces much the same way as the Inca mummies functioned in Cusco the ayllu kinship organization and Markahuamachuco associated mummification of mallquis http://www.panoramio.com/photo/131610927 appears to have begun in the north of Peru and gradually moved south and when the Inca burst forth, they took it with them Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies summary this kinship structure was widely shared as was the idea of mummifying the leader of the ayllu and placing them in accessible mortuary monuments could be brought out for festivals and tended but local traditions determined the kind of mortuary monument and style of mummification http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/26000/26067/burial_tower_26067.htm Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Inca Period Mummies summary mummification was indefinitely delaying the transitional period of the ritual sequence so the mallquis never really died they were transformed to venerated ancestors who had power and agency a combination of processual and post- processual explanations the mortuary monuments and the mummy bundles represented corporate control of the land but ideology was determining the https://chinchorromummies.wordpress.com/ pattern of behavior Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies Juanita – The Inca Ice Maiden found in 1995 atop Mount Ampato (6,309 m) near Arequipa, Peru 11-15 years old female killed by a blow to the head the mountains were believed to be sacred and alive apu sacrifices of (mostly) subadults were made to appease the apu also on the death of an Inca king Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies Llullaillaco – Argentina 6,739m volcano site of the discovery of three ice mummies in 1999 13 year old girl, and a girl and boy aged 4-5 years no evidence for cause of death Andrew S. Wilson et al. PNAS 2013;110:13322-13327 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies analysis of the mummy included CT scans, sampling of digestive contents and analysis of her hair quid of coca was in her mouth Andrew S. Wilson et al. PNAS 2013;110:13322-13327 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies analysis of the mummy included CT scans, sampling of digestive contents and analysis of her hair quid of coca was in her mouth posture suggests heavy sedation at time of positioning Andrew S. Wilson et al. PNAS 2013;110:13322-13327 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies hair bulb hair shaft analysis of the mummy included CT scans, sampling of digestive contents and analysis of her hair quid of coca was in her mouth posture suggests heavy sedation at time of time positioning of death analysis of the hair revealed a strong uptick of alcohol (chicha) & coca consumption in the Andrew S. Wilson et al. PNAS 2013;110:13322-13327 weeks before death Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies analysis found she was in excellent health when she died other mountain sacrifices have demonstrated changes in diet during the last year of life therefore, she was probably the daughter of a wealthy family and she was probably offered for the sacrifice http://www.livescience.com/38504-Incan-child-mummies-lives- treated differently from other children revealed.html in preparation for the ritual coca and alcohol induced an “altered state”, interpreted as being close to sacred but also making her compliant Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies In the Andes there are many kinds of human sacrifice: offering sacrifices – offerings to the gods or supernatural foundation sacrifices – offerings of dedication, sanctification or consecration to new ritual architecture retainer sacrifice – retainers chosen to accompany a high status individual into the after world Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies Can lead to a consideration of… what is a “human sacrifice”? Human sacrifice is known to have been a fundamental part of many historic “civilizations” for a large variety of reasons. Although most human sacrifice was carried out for the sake of religion, at times their cruelty hardly seemed worthy of the purpose. http://listverse.com/2012/12/15/top-10-bizarre-methods-of-human-sacrifice/ “ a highly specialized and ultimate means of communication affirming relationships between humans and supernatural forces” (Klaus & Toyne 2016: 2) “ the price of exchange between humans and the divine – a reciprocal act where something embodying the most precious value is given up in order to receive some benefit ” (Klaus & Toyne 2016: 3) Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Fig. 5. Facial fracturing Fig. 3. Posterior Skull fracturing https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315996478_When_the_myth_becomes_sto Fig. 6. Inferior view of Basal fracturing ne_Memories_about_pukara_steles_in_the_north_of_titicaca_Peru/figures?lo=1 Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies The analysis of the mummified tissues gives us a window onto the practice human sacrifice objects of sacrifice chosen well before the ceremony and treated in a special manner this was probably an honour for the family the coca and alcohol could indicate preparation for the divine or maybe that the individual wasn’t so thrilled Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies If we examine this in the say we talked about last week… separation – separation of the child from the family transition – preparation time change in diet – introduction of coca & chicha second separation – actual point of sacrifice reintegration – individual becomes one with the divine the family is honoured – social order is restored but the individual is no longer part of daily life recall that these are natural mummies – and not anthropogenically created Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies more on Juanita in 1996 she was flown to Washington, DC for CT analysis and an exhibition in 1999, she was to go to Tokyo for an exhibition “Exhibition of the Eternal Great Inca”, subtitled “Juanita, the Beautiful Maiden in Grief” but this aroused a campaign of criticism she cannot tolerate long distance travel it would be unethical she had not been exhibited in Peru the people of the village near where she had been found (Cabanaconde) wanted her to “come home” to be in peace Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Inca Mountain Mummies more on Juanita she did make the trip but the head of the National Institute of Culture was dismissed and a law was passed banning the export of important excavated remains and she is now in a museum in Arequipa she is an icon of nationalist pride and of a connection to their past Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  other icons of nationalist pride and of a connection to their past http://www.southamericanpostcard.com/cgi- bin/place.cgi?peru-chincha-to-piura Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Peruvian Mummies Naturally mummified bodies can’t tell us much about the mummification ritual but the preserved remains and associated artifacts can be extremely informative this partially skeletonized individual still has hair very very long tresses amenable to analysis for dietary evidence evidence of stress hormones hair styles Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Peruvian Mummies This individual was partially mummified in the sand of the desert coast the preserved textiles tell us about how the body was prepared for burial elaborate/simple textiles etc accompanying simple artifacts (within the wrappings) and be associated with the individual in this case a fisherman Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Other Peruvian Mummies This individual demonstrates tattoos simple linear bands around the wrist also around the right knee tattoos are a form of body art not preserved when the soft tissue has decayed indicator of personal or group identity Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Peruvian Mummies the fardo includes offerings and belongings of the individual more personalization Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Suffice to Say Peru and Chile are rich in archaeological materials including human remains these remains add a whole extra dimension to our understanding of these archaeological cultures Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024  Readings for next week: October 1st - Mummies of the world II – mummies of Ancient Egypt readings: Wade, A.D. & Nelson, A.J. (2013). Evisceration and excerebration in the Egyptian mummification tradition. Journal of Archaeological Science 40, 4198- 4206. Peck, W.H. 1998. Mummies of ancient Egypt. In A. Cockburn, E. Cockburn & T.A. Reyman (Eds.), Mummies, disease and ancient cultures (pp. 15-37). New York: Cambridge University Press. Anthropology 2239A – Mummies – September 24th 2024