A Broader Perspective

image L. Yablonsky

In addition to my own research in northern Chile, I have been actively involved in exploring body modifications elsewhere. To this end I have presented the following two papers with wonderful collaborators.

CRANIAL VAULT MODIFICATION AS A CULTURAL ARTIFACT: A COMPARISON OF THE EURASIAN STEPPES AND THE ANDES

This paper details the practice of intentional cranial vault modification in the Eurasian Steppes as well as in the pre-Columbian Andes, focusing on the similarities and differences in how the practice is used to respond to changes in society. The appearance of vault modification in the steppes and the forms seen in the cemeteries of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya river deltas are discussed. Temporal changes in the pattern of modification are also investigated, especially the dramatic homogenization of the custom resulting from the conquests of the Huns. This is contrasted with incidences of cranial modification in the south-central Andes, including the appearance of deliberate head shaping as well as shifts in the practice during the expansion of the Bolivian Altiplano state of Tiwanaku. Similarities in the use of cranial vault modification between these unrelated areas and in the alterations to the practice resulting from foreign contact are considered in light of vault modification's role as a malleable cultural artifact.

***Corina Kellner, a colleague of mine from UCSB, and I presented this paper at the 100th meeting of the American Anthropological Association (Symposium title: Plastic and Enduring: 100 Years of Studies of Past Lives and Past Histories). This is the sample she used for her dissertation, and we examined cranial vault modification in it. The paper was well received and I think we showed a variety of ways that head shaping can be used to provide insights into the social workings of a prehistoric group. We hope to complete a more thorough manuscript soon for submission to a journal.

NASCA CRANIAL VAULT MODIFICATION: A BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACH

The Nasca culture of arid south coastal Peru has been the subject of many archaeological investigations. Their polychrome pottery and enigmatic lines in the desert have fascinated the likes of Ales Hrdlicka and Julio C. Tello since the early part of the 20th century. Changing anthropological views of the Nasca reflect the evolution of archaeological and physical anthropological thought. Their skulls were the focus of some of the earliest studies of cranial modification. Initially they were seen as culturally monolithic, overwhelmingly displaying tabular erect cranial modification. However, the simplicity of this characterization obscures individual decision-making processes that underlie this cultural practice. Many early studies focused on the quantification and classification of cranial vault modification. Recent investigations, in contrast, focus on cranial vault modification as a cultural artifact and address its role as a tool for creating social boundaries. Using a bioarchaeological approach, we present the results of analyses of three Nasca cemeteries (100 AD - 750 AD) excavated by Julio C. Tello in 1927 that are relevant to understanding change in Nasca social organization. These cemeteries span the Nasca sequence and include 191 individuals, 63% of which display cranial modification. These patterns are particularly interesting given the temporal variation that is apparent in the practice. Additionally, the presence of trophy skulls in the modified sample provides insight into the relationship between cranial modification and probable ritual conflict. These data indicate that Nasca cranial vault modification is not as homogenous as previously thought.

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