Evidence of Prehistoric Scalping at Vosberg, Central Arizona

Bibliographic Data

ID12371122
AuthorsWolf D Bueschgen (Arizona State University, corresponding author), D Troy Case (0000-0003-0773-3605, Arizona State University)
Year1996
Volume6
Issue3
Pages230-248
Publication date1996-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/(sici)1099-1212(199606)6:3<230::aid-oa268>3.3.co;2-p
OpenAlexW4237683644
LanguageEN
References cited8

Four crania recovered during the 1970 Arizona State University field school season at a prehistoric site in Vosberg, Arizona show parallel clusters of cut marks characteristic of scalping with a stone knife. These victims were identified during a general survey of the Vosberg skeletons for evidence of trauma and pathology. The discovery of these four victims in the same atypical burial context provides clues to the nature of the scalping custom in the American Southwest prior to European contact and brings the total number of prehistoric scalping victims reported from the Southwest to 15 individuals. Perimortem depressed fractures in two of the crania, and the presence of a stone arrow point within the chest of one of the skeletons, indicates that the scalping of these individuals was the result of violence rather than medicinal or ritual treatment

Ancient history · Archaeology · Context (archaeology · Crania · Geography · Paleopathology · Prehistory · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Medicine · Paleopathology and ancient diseases · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · History