Paleopathological analysis of skulls from Medanitos Estacion XI (Tinogasta, Catamarca, Argentina).

LUNA, LEANDRO; ARANDA, CLAUDIA; DE STEFANO, JULIA; RATTO, NORMA; RODRÍGUEZ, PABLO

Arica

Congreso; VII Paleopathological Association Meeting in South America (PAMinSA); 2017

Universidad de Tarapacá

The results of the paleopathological analysis carried out on human remainsrecovered in the locality of Medanitos (Tinogasta, Catamarca, Argentina) arepresented. This multiple secondary burial consisted exclusively of skulls and mandibles, with a radiometric dating (553±21 years B.P.; calibration with two sigma: A.D. 1402-1440) that refers to the first half of the fifteenth century A.D. period of Inca presence in the region (Ratto 2013). Twelve adult male andfemale skulls were identified, some of which show pathologies, cultural cranial deformation and taphonomic alterations. The presence of at least three trophy skulls, identified by signs of perimortem trauma in the area of the sagittal suture, which indicates the intention to generate a hole to insert a suspension cord, is highlighted. It is likely that these holes were produced by a repetitive percussion process using a sharp object. This type of procedurewas generally performed on the skulls of captured enemies during some kind of violent action.The location of the orifice in the parietal bones is uncommon, since they are usually located in the frontal bone in numerous Wari and Nazca trophy skulls (Verano 2003, 2008; Tung 2008) and in the occipital bone (Gheggi and Seldes 2012) or only at the base of the skull (Roldán and Sampietro 2011) in pre-Hispanic skulls from different archaeological sites of Northwestern Argentina. Several of the bones from this burial also have signs of partial burning. In relation to the conditions suffered by the individuals in life, the presenceof porotic hyperostosis and glabellar porosity is seen. This paleopathological characterization contributes to information about the diversity of these types of practices in the Andes.