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] 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,12024  From Last Week 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,22024  the curse of King Tut rather than paranormal activity as the result of a vindictive pharaoh actually something invented within the context of the Egyptian cultural resistance to the British occupation defined anthropology – study of people, past and present cross-cultural perspective ethnographic perspective evolutionary perspective and archaeology – understand cultures of the past by means of their material (and human) remains and biological anthropology study of people past and present from the biological perspective human variation, human ecology, nutrition and demography 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,32024  anthropology, archaeology and biological anthropology get rolled up together in the study of bioarchaeology the study of human remains from archaeological contexts inherently interdisciplinary interested in quality of life behavior and lifestyle population and society mummy studies also inherently multidisciplinary mummies are any mortal remains that preserve soft tissues anthropogenic or natural historical perspective Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt Spanish interactions with Royal Inca mummies in Peru why are we interested in mummies? mummies are people 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,42024  ethics of mummy studies morals and ethics are culturally contingent considered different perspectives as presented in the readings must consider the value of the research the interests of descendant communities qualifications of the practitioner minimize harm respect the mummy as a person beyond mummy studies, we must also reflect on the issue of displaying mummies follows the same considerations discussed above 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,52024  Any Questions From Last Week? 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,62024  Mortuary Program our goal today is to think about mummification as part of a broad suite of mortuary rituals and can we use the existence of the practice of mummification to tell us anything about an ancient society? before we jump into Mortuary Archaeology and trying to think about how to interpret it… what do we know about Mortuary Programs from an anthropological/ethnographic perspective? 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,72024  Mortuary Program a basic three stage structure has been documented for 100+ years in ethnographic studies of many different cultures of many different rights of passage birth, coming of age, marriage, death enormous amount of variability but there is an essential 3 stage structure of rites of passage in terms of the funeral death transition reintegration 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,82024  Mortuary Program mortuary programs acknowledge separation – the loss of the individual a transitional period – as the person transitions from being social alive to being dead and then the reintegration of the social system Hertz (1907/1960) argued that the condition of the body mirrors the condition of the soul the liminal, transition period as the body decomposes, the soul is also in a period of transition “death is consummated only when decomposition has ended: only then does the deceased cease to belong to this world so as to enter another life” (1960: 47) 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,92024  Mortuary Variability the idea here is to explore some of the range of variation of mortuary rituals practiced in different cultures mummification is only one option of many and as we will explore for the rest of the course it isn’t a single phenomenon with a single explanation but as anthropologists, with a cross-cultural, ethnographic perspective… what kinds of things do people do when someone dies? turns out… damn near anything… but there do tend to be patterns 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,10 2024  Mortuary Variability let’s start with the familiar… 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,11 2024  Mortuary Program http://www.livescience.com http://etiquette.about.com/od/Funeral/f/Funera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= /19106-death-experiences- l-What-Do-I-Do-During-The-Visitation-Or- Nc2TNl8OHKs lucid-dreams.html Wake.htm separation transition reincorporation 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,12 2024  Mortuary Program Nyakyusa S. Tanzania – Bantu speakers studied in the 1930s published by Monica Wilson 1954 agriculturalists – cattle herding, grain and banana cultivators skilled with iron http://www.nyakyusa.com/nyakyusa.htm 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,13 2024  Mortuary Program In Nyakyusa society, when someone dies… word is quickly disseminated to the community social and familial obligation to attend the ceremony if don’t attend can be accused of witchcraft burial happens quite quickly in front of the family hut followed by the ceremony spirit of the dead person is driven away women wailing followed by men dancing http://www.digitalcollections.lib.uct.ac.za/islandora/o the dance is a war dance of mourning bject/islandora%3A5655 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,14 2024  Mortuary Program Over the course of the day fights often break out dancing and wailing continues gradually things shift wailing ceases women join the dance dancing becomes joyous the heir is presented with the widows of the dead individual beer is brewed cattle are slaughtered http://www.digitalcollections.lib.uct.ac.za/islandora/object/islandora%3A5555 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,15 2024  Mortuary Program By the end of the day… the dancers go home closest relatives gather round fires and roast meat “it was a grand burial… we have seen him on his way properly” (Huntington & Metcalf 1979: 42) Death – separation – burial - spirit driven away Transition – wailing and men dancing Reintegration – men and women dancing family reconstituted communal sharing of beer & beef 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,16 2024  Mortuary Program Things to note proximity of the burial to the house prescriptive rules about participation sharing of resources 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,17 2024  Mortuary Program Ngadju-Dayak of Borneo (Indonesia) Miles 1965 studied since the mid 1800s ca. 200 ethic groups (utus) depend on the cultivation of rice, fishing and pigs and ducks settlements have a core along a river bank and a series of associated small hamlets in the area houses often contain 2-3 families https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi a/en/4/4a/Dayak_Sociolinguistic_grou ps.jpg 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,18 2024  Mortuary Program Dayak – Borneo At death, the soul of the deceased is released and may affect the living two stage burial process – initial interment/exposure followed by a secondary burial it is the final burial that confines the soul there appears to be some variation in the first stage generally kept outside of the community exposed on scaffolding or buried in the ground length of time is also variable 8 months to several years involves the breakdown of the corpse to the bones, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi which are viewed to be the permanent part of the a/en/4/4a/Dayak_Sociolinguistic_grou ps.jpg body and thus ready for final burial 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,19 2024  Mortuary Program Once the temporary burial time is completed, the secondary burial is an elaborate ritual its “elaborateness” and length seems to be limited only by the amount of food that the family can put together for the feast small shrine is constructed as the focus of the ceremony the shrine and village is purified by a priest and a bone depository is constructed http://centralborneo.net/hom e/ritual-tiwah/ the feast includes pigs, poultry, rice and wine 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,20 2024  Mortuary Program A procession brings the remains of the deceased either by foot or by canoe dancing, yelling, beating of gongs the soul is encouraged to leave the bones are washed and placed into the depository https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au_f25zkUXI http://centralborne o.net/home/ritual- then taken for ultimate burial tiwah/ 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,21 2024  Mortuary Program Miles 1965: 166 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,22 2024  Mortuary Program Death = separation Transition = temporary burial/exposure period Reintegration = secondary burial ceremony 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,23 2024  Mortuary Program interesting recent phenomenon the transitional period is lasting longer and longer likely reflects an erosion of traditional beliefs and the expense of the feast for the secondary burial observation re: status the elaborateness of the feast represents the wealth of the family as a whole, not of the individual person 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,24 2024  Mortuary Program Things to note lengthy transition period allows the body to decompose to its essence allows the accumulation of resources for the feast decomposition takes place away from the community ceremony includes a sharing of resources 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,25 2024  Mortuary Program Quechan, California (Yuma) ethnographic accounts early 1900s Halpern 1997 settled agriculturalists (flood plain – Colorado River) – corn, beans, pumpkins, melons fairly egalitarian warlike ultimately driven from their lands in the mid- https://www.pinterest.com/schleesstuff/comanche/ late 1960s 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,26 2024  Mortuary Program Quechan, California (Yuma) upon the death of an individual, the body is cremated – usually on the same day but the soul continues to exist after death the soul is finally liberated during the Kar?úk mourning ceremony a four day ceremony that involves several families and the mourning of several individuals develops as the families gradually agree to work together to put on the ceremony (multiple individuals done at once) takes 6 months to a year to prepare involves the gathering of a considerable amount of wood food for feasting ritual items – bird feathers, deer hooves etc. 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,27 2024  Mortuary Program Quechan, California (Yuma) Day 1 – build a sheltered area – the “Ordinary House” people gather and begin preparations making necklaces, war bonnets etc. Day 2 – preparations continue Day 3 – gather wood (that was previously gathered and stored) construct the “Real House” construct images/effigies of the deceased & dress them placed in the Real House the soul occupies the image speeches honouring the deceased 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,28 2024  Mortuary Program Quechan, California (Yuma) Day 4 – mock battles the images of the deceased are brought out reuniting them with their family members dancing ensues at midnight, the images and all the ceremonial items are placed back in the Real House, and the whole thing is set on fire at that point, the souls of the deceased are released and sent away permanently 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,29 2024  Mortuary Program Quechan, California (Yuma) separation – death and initial cremation transition – lengthy time period while the soul is in limbo joint efforts by the families to mobilize the resources for the ceremony reintegration – the images of the dead are thought to be reanimated by the souls of the departed, reuniting them with the family but then they are released by the cremation, and a new social order is constructed 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,30 2024  Mortuary Program Things to note lengthy transition period – allows the family members to work with other families to collected resources needed and prepare for the ceremony the body is replaced by the images - but still has the power of the soul sharing of resources 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,31 2024  Mortuary Program So – what’s the point? the funerals – and other rites of passage – have a basic structure death, transition, reintegration there is enormous variation in the details, length of time but ethnographic studies suggests that those details reflect some aspects of the person being buried, and their culture The timing and structure of most funeral rites is constrained by decomposition of the body examples here – burial the same day burial after extended period of time for soft tissue decomposition cremation same day, but extended transitional period 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,32 2024  Mortuary Archaeology the analysis of the material and mortal remains of funerary rituals practiced by past populations 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 “Death is surely as much a cultural process as it is a biological one” (Rakita & Buikstra 2005: 87) 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,33 2024  Mortuary Archaeology in the first paragraph of the Charles reading he writes energy expenditure (in a mortuary ritual) is a direct reflection of social organization formal disposal areas for the dead will reflect the affirmation of corporate group rights over crucial but restricted resources mortuary ritual is a hegemonic practice that serves to reproduce society and maintain relations of dominance funerary practices comprise thought and action, forming an inextricable duality that must be understood in terms of people’s beliefs and agency rather than simply rationalized in some etic sense key message of the article is “can” should be used in statements like this, rather than “is/are/will” he is cautioning against being deterministic 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,34 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Method and Theory in Archaeology Archaeology as Anthropology New (Processual) Archaeology Post-Processual Archaeology 1970s to today 1980s to today materialist view of culture ideational view of culture science based - objective recognize subjectivity analysis structured by systems theory, analysis structured around the ecology & evolution individual human behavior is an adaptation to human behavior is highly variable social and environmental change with room for individuals to exercise agency 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,35 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Method and Theory in Archaeology New (Processual) Archaeology Post-Processual Archaeology mortuary ritual reflects and reinforces mortuary ritual emphasizes ideology social organization and presents an opportunity to renegotiate and modify social organization 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,36 2024  Mortuary Archaeology and mummy studies in many ways a hybridization of the two perspectives the focus of analysis is typically the individual we have a very social/ideational perspective but we typically incorporate biomedical methods, techniques and perspectives and where possible we move from the individual to the collective seeking patterns of behavior reflective of the culture 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,37 2024  Mortuary Archaeology “a mortuary site… is a window with a … wide view of their world” Charles 2005: 19 and above all mortuary archaeology should be firmly situated within the larger discipline of Anthropology 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,38 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Middle Woodland in the Illinois Valley - (50 B.C.-A.D.500) time of increasing sociopolitical complexity – decreasing mobility high quality ceramics – diversification of forms wide ranging trade networks best known group = Hopewell Hopewell mounds in the US connections up into Ontario (esp. silver) Rice Lake Mounds near Peterborough the mounds are burial mounds dependence on agriculture but still some mobility http://www.dot.ga.gov/BuildSmart/Programs/CulturalRes ources/Pages/Leakemound.aspx#tab-3 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,39 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Middle Woodland in the Illinois Valley - (50 B.C.-A.D.500) time of increasing sociopolitical complexity – decreasing mobility two kinds of cemetery mounds on the bluffs overlooking the river valley community focus and on the flood plain multi-community – social & ceremonial 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,40 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Middle Woodland in the Illinois Valley - (50 B.C.-A.D.500) time of increasing sociopolitical complexity – decreasing mobility two kinds of cemetery mounds on the bluffs overlooking the river valley – community focus and on the flood plain – multi-community – social & ceremonial processual interpretation: the cemeteries on the bluffs emphasize corporate control over specific land & resources those on the flood plain represent sites of social integration – more mobile different amounts of burial goods indicate different status of the individuals 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,41 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Charles et al. 1988: 3 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,42 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Charles et al. 1988: 5 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,43 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Mound 7 located on a bluff, but grave goods and structure are most similar to flood plain sites atypical among bluff sites several burials in mound, but key structure is the central crypt Charles et al. 1988: 67 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,44 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Burial 9 high status woman and two subadults less that 1 year of age rich collection of artifacts Charles et al. 1988: 80 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,45 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Upper World This World decay Under World based on analogy to recent oral tradition 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,46 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Charles et al. 1988: 83 Charles et al. 1988: 81 Charles et al. 1988: 82 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,47 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 post-processual interpretation mound is a symbolic representation of the structure of their world the artifacts in the burial of the woman do not indicate status per se, but indicate her specific roles in life (possibly a shaman) the context indicates the changing roles of women in the increasingly sedentary society 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,48 2024  Mortuary Archaeology Charles 2005 Processual Interpretation: the cemetery on the bluffs emphasize corporate control over specific land & resources those on the flood plain represent sites of social integration – more mobile different amounts of burial goods indicate different status of the individuals Post-Processual Interpretation: mound is a symbolic representation of the structure of their world the artifacts in the burial of the woman do not indicate status per se, but indicate her specific roles in life (possibly a shaman) also indicate the changing roles of women in the increasingly sedentary society shift from materiality and status to ideology and gender 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,49 2024  Mortuary Archaeology and the point is? differing theoretical perspectives will bring about differing interpretations Mortuary Archaeology – and mummy studies – is an area that is greatly affected by differing theoretical perspectives from Atheoretical to Processual to Post-Processual to New Age to “let’s just make it up” I tend to take a kind of hybrid Processual/Post-Processual perspective will try to highlight where these issues come into play as the course proceeds 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,50 2024  Mortuary Archaeology “a mortuary site… is a window with a … wide view of their world” Charles 2005: 19 the factors that shape a mortuary program are a reflection of the society we often see status of the individual (or family) expressed in a funeral however the reflection of society is not perfect particularly for the archaeological record, where we are missing much of the context thus, we must be cautious with our interpretations 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,51 2024  Mortuary Program mummification stops (or at least delays) decomposition can allow the transition period to be delayed for very specific lengths of time or indefinitely extend it so we need to explore forensic anthropology to understand how mummification works 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,52 2024  Forensic Anthropology 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,53 2024  Forensic Anthropology Generally speaking forensic anthropology is the examination of human skeletal remains for law enforcement agencies to help recovery human remains, determine the identity of unidentified human remains, interpret trauma, and estimate time since death. http://fac.utk.edu/what-is-forensic-anthropology-2/ Forensic Anthropology is the study of the human past behaviors as it applies to the law and criminal events. http://archaeology.about.com/od/fterms/qt/forensic_anthro.htm Forensic anthropology is that branch of applied physical anthropology concerned with the identification of human remains and associated skeletal trauma related to manner of death in a legal context.-John Hunter and Margaret Cox. 2005Forensic Archaeology: Advances in Theory and Practice. Routledge. http://archaeology.about.com/od/fterms/qt/forensic_anthro.htm 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,54 2024  Forensic Anthropology “Body Farms” centers for the study of decomposition University of Tennessee at Knoxville Western Carolina University Texas State University http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/corpses- left-rot-farm-name-7325304 Sam Houston State University Southern Illinois University https://oraprdnt.uqtr.uquebec.ca/portail/gscw031?owa_no_site=826 Colorado Mesa University Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Research on Experimental and Social Thanatology 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,55 2024  Forensic Anthropology 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,56 2024  Forensic Anthropology in Canada Forensic Anthropology - St. Thomas University, New Brunswick Forensic Science – BCIT, U of T Mississauga, Laurentian, Mount Royal, UOIT, Seneca College, St Mary’s, Windsor, UQ Trois Riviers and Trent Forensic Studies Certificate (as part of a criminology degree) – Simon Fraser embedded in Anthropology at many universities only 4 Canadians are certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,57 2024  Forensic Anthropology decomposition…. the principal agent of decay is the action of enzymes enhance chemical reactions that break down proteins and lipids proteins = muscle; lipids = fat aided by bacteria, insects, predators etc. autolysis begins immediately after death enzymes attacking the body in the absence of an active heart, body fluids pool in the lowest area as do the decomposition by-products (liquefied tissue) as they are produced by autolysis this soupy mass becomes a breeding ground for anaerobic bacteria the key to mummification is to stop autolysis 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,58 2024  Forensic Anthropology autolysis = self-digestion putrefaction = decay accumulation of gasses changes environment from aerobic to anaerobic exact timing depends on the environment Nelson 1998: 204 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,59 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,60 2024  Case Study - San Jose de Moro 1996/1997 cemetery and ceremonial site – Moche, Transitional, Lambayeque 450AD – 900AD 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,61 2024  San Jose de Moro 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,62 2024 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,63 2024 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,64 2024  Middle Moche 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,65 2024  Late Moche 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,66 2024 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,67 2024  San Jose de Moro possibilities? action of burrowing animals interference with the burials collapse of the tomb chamber 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,68 2024  San Jose de Moro Discussion individual died – separation transition - extended period of curation of the body before death during this time, conditions were such that the body partially decomposed, but was also partially mummified decomposition allowed sections of the skeleton to be dislodged during burial mummification allowed the majority of the skeletal elements to stay together but also made joints brittle 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,69 2024 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,70 2024  San Jose de Moro Discussion individual died – separation transition - extended period of curation of the body before death during this time, conditions were such that the body partially decomposed, but was also partially mummified decomposition allowed sections of the skeleton to be dislodged during burial mummification allowed the majority of the skeletal elements to stay together but also made joints brittle reintegration - burial unfortunately, we cannot know what triggered the burial ceremony presumably this is the time of reintegration evidence in the area of large vessels that would have contained chicha (corn beer) we’ll talk next week about becoming venerated ancestors 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,71 2024  Sipan Discussion other examples curated retainers to accompany high status individuals Sipan, Peru – high status Moche site 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,72 2024  San Jose de Moro Discussion other examples curated retainers to accompany high status individuals here the ritual sequence is focuses on the high status individual Sipan, Peru – high status Moche site lots of other examples of manipulation of bodies we cannot determine the exact reason for and nature of the ritual but an understanding of forensics has highlighted a previously unidentified mortuary ritual allows archaeologists to look for relevant material possible charnel houses? other examples in other contexts 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,73 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification wrappings/clothing burial environment free air circulation (esp. available oxygen) deliberate intervention 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,74 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification wrappings Peruvian Mummy – lots of wrappings help to wick fluids away from body – hot dry & sandy environment 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,75 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/ancient-egypt-mummies.html Pre-dynastic Egyptian Mummy – hot, dry, sandy environment 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,76 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment desiccation – autolytic enzymes and bacteria require an aqueous environment 75-80% of living soft tissue is water in dry sand porosity of the sand draws liquids out of and away from the body if buried, the sand also prevents access by airborne bacteria or insects many sands also contain mineral salts 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,77 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment http://www.crystalinks.com/otzi.html Ötzi The Iceman – cold & dry conditions 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,78 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment freezing enzymatic and bacterial activity slows as the temperature is reduced long term freezing tends to be accompanied by desiccation as the water molecules are crystalized they migrate to the surface of the tissue thereby removing them “freezer burn” 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,79 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/07/140718-bog-bodies-denmark-archaeology- science-iron-age/ Tollund Man – Bog Body – anaerobic & acidic environment 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,80 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment peat bogs a peat bog is an accumulation of partially decomposed vegetation in varying amounts of water can be slightly (pH 5.5-6.5) or moderately (pH 3.2-4.5) acidic below 30-50cm virtually anoxic sphagnan (a component of Sphagnum moss) decalcifies bones and teeth removes ions important for bacterial growth interacts with collagen fibers preventing their decomposition process is highly variable (local pH, temperature etc) 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,81 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/salt-men-iran Zanjān, Iran – preserved in salt 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,82 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment desiccation – autolytic enzymes and bacteria require an aqueous environment 75-80% of living soft tissue is water in salt salt is “hydrophilic” – has a strong affinity for water actively draws it out from soft tissues “osmotic shock” 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,83 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment free air circulation Guanajuato Mummies - Mexico 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,84 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification burial environment free air circulation dry air – either hot or cool – leads to desiccation most examples in caves and crypts often not the primary means of mummification 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,85 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification intervention embalming – deliberate effort to preserve a body from today’s reading… unembalmed bodies – often the face shows decomposition first in forensic context – look for hardware in the archaeological context look for incisions, compounds on the skin etc. modern embalming slows, but does not cease, decomposition of the human body 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,86 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification intervention evisceration 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,87 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification intervention evisceration removal of the organs – especially the stomach and intestines - removes many of the bacteria that participate in putrefaction this also opens the container of putrefaction, allowing any gasses that do form to escape 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,88 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification intervention heavy metals - arsenic http://soapy57.rssing.com/chan-7265424/all_p8.html 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,89 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification intervention heavy metals – arsenic heavy metals are toxic to the decay enzymes inactivate chemical processes commonly used as an embalming agent in the 1800s 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,90 2024  Forensic Anthropology variability in decay rate is the rule / factors that affect mummification intervention as the course proceeds, we will encounter more… 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,91 2024  next week’s readings BT. Arriaza, M. Doubrava, VG. Standen & H. Haas. 2005. Differential mortuary treatment among the Andean Chinchorro fishers: Social inequalities or in situ regional cultural evolution? Current Anthropology 46: 662-671. interesting example of coauthors working on competing hypotheses Chinchorro mummies are the oldest anthropogenic mummies in the world Vreeland, JM. jr. 1998. Mummies of Peru. In: A. Cockburn, E. Cockburn & TA. Reyman eds., Mummies, Disease and Ancient Cultures, pp: 154-189. Cambridge University Press: New York. excellent overview of Peruvian mummies a little dated – I’ll bring you up to date 9/7/2024 Anthropology 2239a – Mummies – September 17,92 2024