Taphonomic evidence of a human skeleton gnawed by termites in a Moche‐civilisation grave at Huaca de la Luna, Peru

Abstract

A human skeleton from a Moche grave at Huaca de la Luna, Trujillo, Peru, shows evidence of taphonomic bone modification due to subterranean termite activity. Information related to the occasional osteophagous diet of termites on mammal and human remains is reviewed and detailed.

Flies, Mochicas and burial practices: a case study from Huaca de la Luna, Peru

“…Nevertheless, such studies could be especially valuable in the following ways: understanding mortuary practices (Gilbert and Bass, 1967;Faulkner, 1986;Dirrigl and Greenberg, 1995;Bourget, 1998;Nystrom et al, 2005;Huchet, 2010); taphonomy of the cadavers (Wood, 1976;Wylie et al, 1987;Huchet et al, 2009); human parasites in past civilisations (Ewing, 1924;Capasso and Di Tota, 1998;Rick et al, 2002;Reinhard and Buikstra, 2003); and, lastly, as a mode of disease transmission among the ancients (Raoult et al, 2006).…”

First forensic records of termite activity on non-fossilized human bones in Brazil

“…Despite they have been initially described as higher plants decomposers, they also feed on other types of diet. Their osteophagic behavior on human bones, for example, was first reported on archeological studies of graves in ancient Nubia (Huchet et al, 2011). Notwithstanding this record, scarce are the references to this fact in the archeological literature.…”

“…A study on archaeological burials in Huaca in Peru, conducted by Huchet et al (2011), was the first in South America to record osteophagic activity of subterranean termites on a female skeleton. In this case, they performed a macroscopic study of the resulting bone degradation and could deductively link their findings to the action of termites by examining their nest remains and characteristic materials of this type of insect.…”

Des mouches, des morts, des offrandes

“…• les espèces « ostéophages » et « fouisseuses » qui vont exploiter les ossements comme complément nutritionnel ou utiliser ces derniers dans l'élaboration de leurs sites de nidification (Huchet et al 2011(Huchet et al , 2013Huchet 2014aHuchet , 2014b. L'archéoentomologie funéraire apparaît alors comme une approche « multiproxy », à l'interface entre les sciences naturalistes et environnementales et les sciences de l'Homme, intégrant, au niveau interprétatif, une dimension directement inspirée des sciences forensiques.…”