Trauma in the preceramic coastal populations of northern Chile: violence or occupational hazards?
One hundred and forty-four Chinchorro skeletons, stored at the Museo Arqueol¿ogico San Miguel de Azapa in Arica, Chile, were examined to test the following alternative hypotheses concerning skeletal trauma: either observed trauma was a consequence of interpersonal violence, or was the result of work-related accidents. Trauma found in subadults was rare, with 1.8% (1/55) contrasted with 30% (27/89) in the adult population. The location of most adult trauma was the skull with 24.6% (17/69), followed by the upper extremities with 8. 7% (7/80), the trunk with 2.9% (2/68), and the lower extremities with the least trauma at 1.1% (1/89). Skull trauma corresponded to well-healed, semicircular fractures, with males being three times more affected than females at 34.2% (13/38) and 12.9% (4/31), respectively. Most fractures were nonlethal, appearing to have been caused by impacts from stones, suggesting interpersonal violence rather than accidents. This study indicates that the egalitarian, maritime, hunter-gatherer Chinchorro culture (circa 4000 years B.P.) may not have lived as peacefully as once thought.
Standen
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Departamento de Arqueologia y Museologia, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile.
Arriaza
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BT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D002677:Chile; D005121:Extremities / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D012886:Skull / Q000293:injuries; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries