Secondary burials and body treatment in the eastern Pampa-Patagonian transition of Argentina

FLENSBORG, G.; MARTÍNEZ, G.; BAYALA, P. D.; GONZALEZ, M. E.

Sacramento

Congreso; 76th Annual Meeting Society for American Archaeology; 2011

An outstanding characteristic of the lower basin of the Colorado River is the abundant record of human burials. These are usually found in different contexts, such as formal inhumation areas or are part of domestic, multiple activity sites. Particularly, human remains that make up secondary burials have been subject to intensive treatment (e.g.; sorting different skeletal parts, cut and defleshing marks, red-ocher painted bones, etc.). In this paper, the significance of body manipulation is discussed in order to deal with site function, chronology, and reoccupation of places through time as part of a complex social practice.