Abstract
This work reports on
the identification and measurements of artificial cranial modification (ACM) of
the osteological collection from the sites Peñuelas, Peñuelas 21 and 24,
Illapel, Pisco Control, and El Olivar excavated from Chile’s, semiarid north
(corresponds largely with Region de Coquimbo). The Museo Arqueologico de La
Serena (MALS) holds these osteological collections that represent the Diaguita
culture (Phase III, agriculturalists, 1450-1536 C.E.) and excavated by Ampuero
(1989) and Biskúpovic (1982-85, 1999). The pooled sample is composed of 48
individuals, mostly adults, and their rather intact preservation has permitted
on-going bioanthropological documentation, including that of artificial cranial
modification (ACM) and paleopathologies. In this analysis,
ACM of the tabular erect type was identified, and measurements were taken on
standard skull landmarks to document skulls with ACM and no ACM. The analysis
indicates that both males and females present ACM of the tabular erect type.
There does not seem to be preferential modification linked to one of the sexes.
The measurements for ACM skulls also revealed that there are statistically
significant differences between males and females in the pattern of increase
and decrease of the average, or median, measurements of specific skull
landmarks. Two sets of T-tests or
Wilcoxon Rank-Sum were accomplished on all measurements. Comparisons were made
between male non-ACM and female non-ACM skulls for each of the twelve landmark
measurements. Another set of comparisons was accomplished between male ACM
skulls and female ACM skulls for each of the twelve landmark measurements. For
all T-tests and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests it was decided to use a two-tailed
T-test with alpha values of 0.02 for an alpha of 0.01 both ways for the
T-tests. The results support a differential treatment process between the sexes
in ACM in Diaguita III peoples such that the variation in the pattern itself
between the sexes was intentional in the process of modifying the skulls of
infants.
