Violence and weapon‐related trauma at Puruchuco‐Huaquerones, Peru

Abstract

Conquest of indigenous peoples in North America is understood primarily through ethnohistorical documents, archaeological evidence, and osteological analyses. However, in the Central Andes, the colonial enterprise and its effects are understood only from postcontact historical and ethnohistorical sources. Few archaeological and bioarchaeological studies have investigated Spanish Conquest and colonialism in the Andean region [for exceptions see Klaus and Tam: Am J Phys Anthropol 138 (2009) 356-368; Wernke, in press; and Quilter, in press]. Here we describe bioarchaeological evidence of violence from the cemeteries of Huaquerones and 57AS03 within the archaeological zone of Puruchuco-Huaquerones, Peru (circa A.D. 1470-1540). A total of 258 individuals greater than 15 years of age were analyzed for evidence of traumatic injuries. Individuals were examined macroscopically and evidence of traumatic injuries was analyzed according to the skeletal element involved, the location of the injury on the skeletal element, and any additional complications of the injury. This study examines and compares the evidence of perimortem injuries on skeletonized individuals from the two cemeteries and focuses specifically on the interpretation of weapon-related perimortem injuries. Evidence of perimortem trauma is present in both cemeteries (18.6%, 48/258); however, the frequency of injuries in 57AS03 is greater than that in Huaquerones (25.0% vs. 13.0%). Several injuries from 57AS03 are consistent with documented cases of injuries from firearms and 16th Century European weapons. We believe that the nature and high frequency of perimortem trauma at 57AS03 provide evidence of the violence that occurred with Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire.

Skeletal evidence for Inca warfare from the Cuzco region of Peru

“…Subadults were excluded to facilitate comparison with Andean bioarchaeological studies such as Tung (2007) and Murphy et al (2010), in which trauma frequencies were given as adult frequencies (number of affected individuals aged 15 years and older divided by total individuals aged 15 years and older) (see also Milner et al, 1991;Steadman, 2008;Jurmain et al, 2009).…”

“…In 2005, skeletal evidence of Inca warfare was discovered in burials from Puruchuco-Huaquerones, Peru (Murphy et al, 2010). Some of these individuals were apparent casualties of the 1536 siege of Lima which featured Inca warriors fighting against Spanish and native allies.…”

“…Cutting weapons such as battle axes, tumi knives, and blades were also included in the arsenal (Rowe, 1946:276). The Inca did not have steel weapons, guns, or horses to ride during battle-although these military elements were used against them during the Spanish conquest (Salas, 1950;Hemming, 1970;Guilmartin, 1991;Seed, 2005;Murphy et al, 2010).…”

Traumatic Injuries in the Late Medieval and Early Modern Population from Łekno, Poland

“…For years, traumatic injuries have been attributed only to violence (e.g. Walker 1989;Murphy et al 2010;Standen, Arriaza 2000;Torres-Rouff, Janqiuera 2006). Nowadays, researchers try to link the interpretation of trauma also with factors such as environmental context, and physical and cultural aspects (Judd, Roberts 1998Larsen 1997).…”

Violencia Interpersonal en el Noroeste Argentino Prehistórico: Expresiones regionales, Socioculturales y Cronológicas

“…Con el fin de asegurar una mejor comparabilidad entre los distintos conjuntos, y siguiendo los lineamientos de Milner et al (1991), Jurmain et al (2009) y Murphy et al (2010), este trabajo se focaliza en lesiones traumáticas atribuibles a violencia observadas en individuos con una edad al momento de la muerte mayor o igual a los 15 años (n=130). En la Tabla 1 se presenta el número de individuos analizados por sitio y la asignación cronológica para cada sitio.…”