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Trauma in the Preceramic Coastal Populations of Northern Chile: Violence or occupational hazards

TitleTrauma in the Preceramic Coastal Populations of Northern Chile: Violence or occupational hazards
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2000
AuthorsStanden, V. G., & Arriaza B. T.
JournalAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology
Volume112
Pagination239-249
AbstractOne hundred and forty-four Chinchorro skeletons, stored atthe Museo Arqueolo´gico San Miguel de Azapa in Arica, Chile, were examinedto test the following alternative hypotheses concerning skeletal trauma:either observed trauma was a consequence of interpersonal violence, or wasthe 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. Thelocation of most adult trauma was the skull with 24.6% (17/69), followed bythe upper extremities with 8.7% (7/80), the trunk with 2.9% (2/68), and thelower extremities with the least trauma at 1.1% (1/89). Skull trauma correspondedto well-healed, semicircular fractures, with males being three timesmore affected than females at 34.2% (13/38) and 12.9% (4/31), respectively.Most fractures were nonlethal, appearing to have been caused by impactsfrom stones, suggesting interpersonal violence rather than accidents. Thisstudy indicates that the egalitarian, maritime, hunter-gatherer Chinchorroculture (circa 4000 years B.P.) may not have lived as peacefully as oncethought. Am J Phys Anthropol 112:239–249, 2000.