Strange Harvest: a Discussion of Sacrifice and Missing Body Parts on the North Coast of Peru," Andean Past: Vol
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Andean Past Volume 9 Article 11 11-1-2009 Strange Harvest: A Discussion of Sacrifice nda Missing Body Parts on the North Coast of Peru Catherine Gaither [email protected] Jonathan Bethard Boston University, [email protected] Jonathan D. Kent Metropolitan State University, [email protected] Victor Vasquez Sancbez ARQUEOBIOS, Trujillo, Peru, [email protected] Teresa Rosales Tham ARQUEOBIOS, Trujillo, Peru, [email protected] See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/andean_past Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons, and the Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Gaither, Catherine; Bethard, Jonathan; Kent, Jonathan D.; Vasquez Sancbez, Victor; Rosales Tham, Teresa; and Busch, Richard (2009) "Strange Harvest: A Discussion of Sacrifice and Missing Body Parts on the North Coast of Peru," Andean Past: Vol. 9 , Article 11. Available at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/andean_past/vol9/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Andean Past by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Strange Harvest: A Discussion of Sacrifice nda Missing Body Parts on the North Coast of Peru Authors Catherine Gaither, Jonathan Bethard, Jonathan D. Kent, Victor Vasquez Sancbez, Teresa Rosales Tham, and Richard Busch This article is available in Andean Past: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/andean_past/vol9/iss1/11 STRANGE HARVEST: A DISCUSSION OF SACRIFICE AND MISSING BODY PARTS ON THE NORTH COAST OF PERU CATHERINE GAITHER VÍCTOR VÁSQUEZ SÁNCHEZ Metropolitan State College of Denver ARQUEOBIOS, Trujillo, Perú JONATHAN BETHARD TERESA ROSALES THAM University of Tennessee, Knoxville ARQUEOBIOS, Trujillo, Perú and Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Trujillo, Perú JONATHAN KENT Metropolitan State College of Denver RICHARD BUSCH Denver Museum of Nature and Science Numerous researchers have discussed the in a tomb. Nelson (1998) described undisturbed finds of what they refer to as secondary inter- burials containing incomplete skeletons at the ments in funerary contexts around the world Moche site of San José de Moro. He attributes (Dulanto 2002; Hecker and Hecker 1992; Klaus these to an extended funerary rite, whereby the and Tam 2009; Larson 2001; Millaire 2004; body was protected from external elements Nelson 1998; Weiss-Krejci 2001; Verano 1997). (such as insects) that sped decomposition, in In the Andean region, the finds range from the order to allow for a transitional component of “jumbled bones” that Verano (1997) refers to in the mortuary ritual. This may have included the tombs at Sipán to ritual re-interment de- long-distance travel and rites of re-incorporation scribed by Millaire (2004). This pattern has been of the individual back into the social order in described for numerous sites in Peru dating to accordance with rites of passage as described by various time periods (Dulanto 2002; Hecker and van Gennep (1960). Nelson (1998) notes that Hecker 1992; Klaus and Tam 2009; Millaire the partial decomposition of the corpse during 2004; Nelson 1998; and Verano 1997) and may, this interim period might explain lost body parts, therefore, represent a common feature in particularly if long-distance transport was mortuary practice, both spatially and temporally, involved in the ritual. Other researchers (Klaus in this region of the world. and Tam 2009; Millaire 2004; Hecker and Hecker 1992) have described parts of bodies Few researchers, however, have described included with principal personages in tombs. finds of the contexts from which these second- Klaus and Tam (2009) noted a preference at the ary interments may have been “harvested”. colonial Chapel of San Pedro de Mórrope for Verano (1997) described the find of complete long bones and skulls. The site of Santa Rita B bodies with the bones in a “jumbled” state at the in the Chao Valley of Peru’s north coast also Moche site of Sipán. He interpreted this as demonstrates secondary interments in a funerary indicating that some decomposition had taken context. However, there are some notable and place prior to the inclusion of the body in the intriguing differences seen at this north coast secondary context, and suggested that perhaps site. the bodies had been stored for future inclusion ANDEAN PAST 9 (2009): 177-194. ANDEAN PAST 9 (2009) - 178 The site of Santa Rita B also appears to context of ancestor worship. This is a different demonstrate a pattern of ritual re-interment, pattern from what is seen at Santa Rita B and which includes isolated body parts interred with thus, the reason for this “strange harvest” is not principal personages. Notable at this site, how- yet clear. ever, is the presence of what we are calling a “harvested body”. This individual demonstrates Secondary burial deposits are often present missing elements in combination with little or in numerous Andean archaeological contexts, no evidence for post-interment disturbance, and scholars frequently frame such features as similar to what Nelson (1998) described at San part of the ancestor cult, or mortuary practices José de Moro. In contrast to what Nelson (1998) that provide continuity between the living and found, however, there is evidence that Entierro the dead (Dillehay 1995). Such practices help (Burial) 9 was interred at Santa Rita B shortly enhance collective relationships and legitimize after death and with flesh intact. Not only is the which resources a particular community controls skeleton well-articulated, there is no evidence of (Dillehay 1995; Salomon 1995). As noted by insect activity, and the bones show crushing Klaus and Tam (2009), however, the pattern injuries consistent with moist bone impacted by one would expect with ancestor worship in- the placement of several large rocks on top of cludes, at a minimum, successful reproduction the body. Some of the missing skeletal elements and adult age for those “re-interred” individuals. were taken from the body prior to the placement This is not the pattern seen at Santa Rita B with of the rocks on top of it. Additionally, this respect to Entierro 9. The purpose of this paper individual appears to be a sacrifice victim rather is to present the case of Entierro 9, discuss its than an ancestor or another principal personage, possible relevance within the context of Andean based upon the atypical position of the body, mortuary practice and to further discuss the including the haphazard manner in which it was possibilities regarding what behavior inferred interred, evidence of violent injuries on the from it might mean. skeleton, and its association with other sacrifice victims also demonstrating atypical burial ARCHAEOLOGICAL SETTING positions and traumatic lesions consistent with sacrifice. The skeleton demonstrates missing The Santa Rita B archaeological site is on elements, primarily long bones (which is consistent the western slopes of the Andes of Northern with Klaus and Tam’s description), and not only Peru (Figure 1), in the lower portion of the is there no evidence of cultural taphonomic middle Chao Valley at an average elevation of disturbance, but there is, in fact, significant 484 m above mean sea level. Its strategic posi- evidence that the body was not disturbed tion permitted a certain degree of control over post-interment given the placement of the the movement of people, goods, and camelid rocks. This differs from what Dulanto (2002) herds between the coastal and highland regions describes at Pampa Chica, a Late Initial (Kent et al. 1999). See Gaither et al. (2008) for Period/Early Horizon site (ca. 700-200 B.C.) in a more detailed description of the site and its the Lurín Valley on the central coast of Peru. location. He describes tombs containing incomplete skeletons. The tombs at this site, however, show Now having completed its tenth season, the clear evidence of re-opening in order to access Santa Rita B Archaeological Project has been the human remains and the remains accessed defining the nature of the human occupation of appear to have been those of principal the site and investigating selected aspects of its personages. Dulanto (2002) interprets this in the economic, social, political, and ideological 179 - Gaither et al.: North Coast Sacrifice history. Most recently (since 2001) excavations We have determined that the upper strata of the have focused on areas of apparent domestic site were deposited sometime between AD 1050 architecture, making up complexes of rooms and 1280. During our excavations here, several ranging in number from 10-30 enclosures. One human skeletons were encountered that pro- of these, known as “Archaeological Complex duced calibrated C-14 dates of this time period No. 3” (Conjunto Arquitectónico 3, or just CA3) and which are the focus of this paper (Table 1). is a rock-walled compound measuring about 29 m N-S x 25 m E-W, subdivided into approximately 19 partly or completely enclosed spaces or “rooms” (Figure 2). Lab. Cat. Material Taken From Type of Conventional 13C/ 2F Cal* p No. No. Personage Radiocarbon 12C Age (CRA) Beta- SRB- BONE/ PRINCIPAL A.D. 1134-1271 0.886 ENTIERRO #4 900 + 40 -18.4 217488 560-1 R. RIBS PERSONAGE A.D. 1046-1084 0.113 PROBABLE A.D. 1145-1272 0.928 Beta- SRB- BONE/ ENTIERRO #3 HUMAN 890 + 40 -15.5 A.D. 1049-1079 0.072 217489 561-1 L. RIBS SACRIFICE PROBABLE A.D. 1175-1281 0.976 Beta- SRB- BONE/ ENTIERRO #2 HUMAN 850 + 40 -21.6 A.D. 1162-1172 0.024 217490 562-1 R. RIBS SACRIFICE *2-sigma age ranges calibrated using the CALIB RADIOCARBON PROGRAM “SHcal 04” for the southern hemisphere developed by McCormac et al., 2004 used in conjunction with Stuiver and Reimer, 1993. p = Probability of actual calibrated date falling within stated range.