A Correction and Comment on ‘Sacrifice of the Social Outcasts’

Abstract

C. L. Kieffer incorrectly identified a fused pair of cervical vertebrae in an article published online in May of 2015. This is a correction of the misidentification and a comment on the implications for the author's larger point that the individuals involved may have been physically handicapped and therefore selected by the ancient Maya as victims of human sacrifice.

Ancient DNA Clarifies Osteological Analyses of Commingled Remains from Midnight Terror Cave, Belize

“…This hypothesis, however, is not supported by our findings that a minimum of two individuals exist among the bones tested. Instead, our results reinforce Prout's () contention that there is no evidence for a condition more serious than type II KFS and that the individuals were most likely asymptomatic and, therefore, not sacrificed as ‘social outcasts’.…”

“…After examining both vertebrae, Prout () contends that one specimen (VI‐02B‐118) was misidentified and instead asserts that the bone displays an abnormal growth development of the C‐2 and C‐3 vertebrae. Prout () notes that with only the C‐2/C‐3 vertebrae present in Lot VI‐02, there is no evidence to claim a condition more serious than type II KFS and quotes Barnes (: 69) as saying, ‘Type II defects are the most commonly occurring block vertebrae, and they generally produce no symptoms’. If individuals were generally asymptomatic with type II KFS, it is unlikely that they would have been selected for sacrifice based on this condition.…”

Providing Cultural Context for ‘Sacrifice of the Social Outcasts’

“…The context I have supplied makes Kieffer's conclusions about ‘the sacrifice of social outcasts’ appear highly unlikely. Instead, my context suggests far more interesting implications that underscore the importance of the recent interchange between Prout () and Kieffer (). Prout, citing Barnes (), notes that the evidence presented does not support a diagnosis of anything more serious than type II Klippel–Feil syndrome (KFS) in which the victims may not have shown any disabling symptoms.…”