Analysis of Skeletal Remains from Paquimé: Implications for Warfare
Interim Report

Click on image to enlarge.

Research Year:  2007
Culture:  Casas Grandes
Chronology:  Postclassic
Location:  Northern México
Site:  Paquimé

Interim Report

The data collection phase of the project is currently entering its second month. I originally planned to begin in early May, but a one month delay was endured while waiting for permission from the Mexican counsel of archaeology. The permit was finally granted in early June.

My goal is to collect data from approximately 40% of the burials, which would yield a sample of just over 200 individuals. Thus far, I am on target to reach this goal, and have documented not only trauma and pathology, but also the occurrence of post-mortem body processing previously unreported in northern México.

Figure 1, shown above, is an image of a male skull that shows healed antemortem fractures of the right side of the face with resulting deformities of the nose and right eye orbit.

Submitted 07/20/2007 by:
Christopher M. Casserino
University of Oregon
ccasseri@uoregon.edu

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