Mortuary practices and body manipulation. First taphonomic analysis of the Los Tres Cerros 1 site (Entre Ríos province, Argentina)

Abstract

The aim of this work is to deepen the knowledge of the mortuary practices carried out at the Los Tres Cerros 1 site. We emphasize the processes related to the intentional manipulation of individuals. To accomplish this, we present the results from the analysis of the preservation of bone elements and cut marks. The studied samples come from Los Tres Cerros 1 archaeological site (Entre Ríos, Argentina) and are composed of bone elements corresponding to a minimum number of 35 individuals. The results obtained from the preservation indexes indicate a homogeneous anthropic disturbance of the mortuary space. Likewise, anthropic marks were observed in 6.68% of the analyzed bone elements. These marks were recorded in all burial modalities and in individuals of both sexes and different age groups. Lastly, the results are consistent with a great variability of body manipulation practices.

Keywords
Primary burials; Secondary burials; Cut marks; Body manipulation