Taphonomic study of the human remains from Cova de Montanissell (Alt Urgell, Lleida) and interpretation of the funerary gesture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/tp.2014.12130Keywords:
Death Archaeology, Collective Burial, Recent Prehistory, Physical Anthropology, PaleopathologyAbstract
Taphonomy aims to provide a theoretical and methodological frame to understand the transition of biological remains from the moment of death to their recovery, as well as to interpret the funerary gesture of the past societies. In this article, the reconstruction of the taphonomic history of the human remains from Montanissell cave (Lleida) is presented, using the analysis of the taphonomic effects observed in situ and in the laboratory, and linking them to the radiocarbon, paleogenetic and pateopathological results. The Montanissell cave was used by a Bronze Age community to bury 8 individuals. It is characterized by being a collective funerary cavity, with primary successive inhumations. The interaction of some taphonomic processes and agents on human bones leaded to a complex and of low intensity taphonomic history which allowed an exceptional preservation of the bony tissue. The combination of different investigation lines has been fundamental for the discussion about the intentional or non-intentional position of the bodies, the simultaneity or non simultaneity of the burials, and the kinship among them.
Downloads
References
Alduc-Le Bagouse, A. 1988: "Estimation de l'âge des non-adultes: maturation dentaire et croissance osseuse. Données comparatives pour deux nécropoles médiévales bas-normandes". En Actes des 3èmes Journées Anthropologiques. Notes et Monographies Techniques 24, Éditions du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. París: 81-103.
Aguirre, E. 1997: "La tafonomía como ciencia: aspectos epistemológicos". Journal of Iberian Geology 23: 37-52.
Armentano, N.; Esteve, X.; Nociarová, D. y Malgosa, A. 2012: "Taphonomical study of the anthropological remains from Cova des Pas (Minorca)". Quaternary International 275: 112-119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.10.025
Armentano, N.; Gallart, J.; Jordana, X.; López, J. B. y Malgosa, A: 2008. "La Cova sepulcral de Montanissell (Sallent-Coll de Nargó, Alt Urgell): pràctiques funeràries singulars durant l'edat del bronze al Prepirineu". En 1er Col·loqui d'Arqueologia d'Odèn (Solsonès 2006). La prehistòria avui en el Prepirineu lleidatà: 55-72. Solsona.
Armentano, N.; Gallart, J.; Jordana, X.; López, J. B.; Malgosa, A.; Rafel, N. 2006: "La Cova sepulcral de Montanissell (Sallent-Coll de Nargó, Alt Urgell): pràctiques funeràries singulars durant l'edat del bronze al Prepirineu". Tribuna d'Arqueologia: 141-167.
Armentano, N. y Malgosa, A: 2003. "Enterramientos primarios versus enterramientos secundarios". En M. P. Aluja, A. Malgosa y R. Nogués (eds.): Antropología y Biodiversidad. Bellaterra Edicions I. Barcelona: 39-49.
Aufderheide A y Rodríguez-Martín C. 1998: The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Paleopathology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. Behrensmeyer, A. K. 1978: "Taphonomic and ecologic information from bone weathering". Paleobiology 4: 150-162.
Brothwell, D. R. 1987: Desenterrando huesos. Fondo de Cultura Económica. Madrid.
Campillo, D. 1994: Paleopatología. Los primeros vestigios de la enfermedad I. Fundación Uriach 1838. Barcelona.
Campillo, D. 1977: Paleopatología del cráneo en Catalu-a, Valencia y Baleares. Montblanc-Martín. Barcelona.
Chimenos, E.; Safont, S.; Alesán, A.; Alfonso, J. y Malgosa, A. 1999: "Propuesta de protocolo de valoración de parámetros en Paleodontología". Gaceta Dental 102: 44-52.
Cretot, M. 1978: L'arcade dentaire humaine (Morphologie). Julien Prélat. Paris.
Duday, H. 2009: The Archaeology of the Death. Lectures in Archaeothanatology. Oxbow Books. Oxford.
Duday, H.; Cortaud, P.; Crubezy, E.; Sellier, P. y Tillier, A. M. 1990: "L'anthropologie de terrain. Reconnaissance et interprétation des gestes funéraires". Bulletin et mémoires de la Société d'Anthropologie de Paris 2, 3-4: 29-50.
DiMaio, V. y DiMaio, D. 2001: Forensic Pathology. CRC Press. Boca Ratón.
Ferembach, D.; Schwidetzky, I. y Stloukal, M. 1980: "Recommendations for Age and Sex Diagnoses of Skeletons". Journal of Human Evolution 9: 517-549. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0047-2484(80)90061-5
Gifford-Gonzalez, D. 1991: "Bones are not enough: analogues, knowledge, and interpretive strategies in zooarchaeology". Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 10: 215-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0278-4165(91)90014-O
Gilbert, B. M. y McKern, T. W. 1973: "A method for aging the female Oos pubis". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 38: 31-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330380109
Haglund, W. D. y Sorg, M. H. 1997: "Introduction to forensic taphonomy". En W. D. Haglund y M. H. Sorg (eds.): Forensic Taphonomy. The Postmortem Fate of Human Remains. CRC Press. Boca Raton: 1-9.
Hengen, O. P. 1971: "Criba orbitalia: pathogenesis and probable etiology". Homo 22: 57-75.
Isçan, M. Y.; Loth, S. R. y Wright, R. K. 1984: "Metamorphosis at the sternal rib end: A new Method to Estimate Age at Death in White Males". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 65: 147-156. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330650206
Isidro, A. y Malgosa, M. 2003: Paleopatología. La enfermedad no escrita. Masson. Barcelona.
Johnson, E. 1985: "Current developments in bone technology". En M. Schiffer (ed.): Advances in archaeological method and theory 8, Academic Press. New York: 157-235.
Johnson, R. P.; Collier, B. D. y Carrera, G. F. 1984: "The Os Trigonum Syndrome: Use of Bone Scan in the Diagnosis". Journal of Trauma-Injury Infection & Critical Care 24(8): 761-764. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00005373-198408000-00014
Jordana, X.; Galtés, I.; Turbat, T.; Batsukh, D.; García, C.; Isidro, A.; Giscard, P. H. y Malgosa, A. 2009: "The warriors of the steppes: osteological evidence of warfare and violence from Pazyryk tumuli in the Mongolian Altai". Journal of Archaeological Science 36: 1319-1327. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.01.008
Kanz, F. y Grossschmidt, K. 2006: "Head injuries of Roman Gladiators". Forensic Science International 160: 207-216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.10.010
Krenzer, U. 2006: Compendio de métodos antropológico forenses para la reconstrucción del perfil osteo-biológico VIII. Centro de análisis forenses y ciencias aplicadas. Guatemala.
Krogman, W. M. y Isçan, Y. M. 1986: The Human Skeleton in Forensic Medicine. Ch. C. Thomas Publisher LTD. Springfield.
López, J. B.; Malgosa, A.; Gallart, J. y Rafel, N. 2005: "Cova de Montanissell (Sallent- Coll de Nargó, Alt Urgell). Operació: 'Senyora de les muntanyes'". Cota Zero 20: 27-39.
Lovejoy, C. O.; Meindl, R. S.; Pryzbeck, T. R. y Mensforth, R. P. 1985: "Chronical Metamorphosis of the Auricular Surface of the Ilium: A New Method for the Determination of Adult Skeletal Age at Death". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 68: 15- 28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330680103
Lyman, R. 1994: Vertebrate taphonomy. Cambridge manuals in archaeology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.
McKern, T. W. y Stewart, T. D. 1957: Skeletal age changes in Young American males. Quartermaster Research and Development Comand Technichal Report EP-45. Natick, Massachusetts.
Nasser S. y Manoli A. 1990: "Fracture of the Entire Posterior Process of the Talus: A Case Report". Foot & Ankle International 10 (4): 235-238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/107110079001000409
Nawrocki, S. P. 1995: "Taphonomic process in historic cemeteries". En A. Grauer (ed.): Bodies of evidence: Reconstructing History through Skeletal Remains. Wiley-Liss. New York: 49-68.
Olivier, G. 1960: Pratique Anthropologique. Vigot frères. París.
Ortner, D. J. 2003: Identification of Pathological Conditions in Human Skeletal Remains. Academic Press. New York.
Reverte, J. M. 1991: Antropología forense. Ministerio de Justicia, Secretaria general Técnica. Madrid.
Roberts, C. A. y Manchester, K. 2005: Archaeology of disease. Sutton Publishing Ltd. Stroud.
Sauer N. J. 1998: "The Timing of injuries and manner of death. Distinguishing among antemortem, perimortem and postmortem trauma". En K. J. Reichs (ed.): Forensic Osteology. Advances in the Identification of Human Remains. Charles C. Thomas. Springfield: 321-332.
Scheuer, L. y Black, S. 2000: Developmental Juvenile Osteology. Academic Press. London.
Schutkowski, H. 1993: "Sex Determination of Infant and Juvenile Skeletons. I. Morphognostic Features". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 90(2): 199-205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330900206
Shipman, P. 1981: Life History of a Fossil. Harvard University Press. Cambridge.
Simón, M.; Jordana, X.; Armentano, N.; Santos, C.; Díaz, N.; Solórzano, E.; López, J. B.; González- Ruiz, M. y Malgosa, A. 2011: "The presence of nuclear families in prehistoric collective burials revisited: the bronze age burial of Muntanissell Cave (Spain) in the light of aDNA". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 146(3): 406-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21590
Stuart-Macadam, P. 1989: "Nutritional deficiency diseases". En M. Y. Isçan y K. A. R. Kennedy (eds.): Reconstruction of life from the skeleton. Alan, R. Liss. Nueva York: 201-202.
Todd, T. W. 1920: "Age changes in the pubic bone: I. The white male pubis". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 3: 467-470. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330030301
Trotter, M. y Glesser, G. C. 1952: "Estimation of stature from long bones of American whites and Negroes". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 10: 463-514. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330100407
Tung, T. A. 2007: "Trauma and violence in the Wari empire of the Peruvian Andes: warfare raids, and ritual fights". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 133: 941-956. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.20565
Ubelaker, D. H. 1989: Human Skeletal Remains. Excavation analysis, interpretation. Taraxacum. Washington, D.C.
Vallois, H. V. 1960: "Vital statistics in prehistoric populations as determined from archaeological data". En R. F. Heizer y S. F. Cook (eds.): The Application of Quantitative methods in archaeology 28, Chicago Press. Chicago: 186-222.
Walker, P. L. 2001: "A bioarchaeological perspective on the history of violence". Annual Review of Anthropology 30: 573-596. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.anthro.30.1.573
Walker, P. L.; Johnson, J. R. y Lambert, P. M. 1988: "Age and sex biases in the preservation of human skeletal remains". American Journal of Physical Anthropology 76: 183-188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330760206
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2014 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the printed and online versions of this Journal are the property of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a “Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International” (CC BY 4.0) License. You may read here the basic information and the legal text of the license. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 License must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the published by the Editor, is not allowed.
