Fatal Injuries in a pre‐Hispanic Canary Mummy: Violence, Accident or Ritual Suicide?

Abstract

Perimortem traumas have been identified in a pre‐Hispanic Canary mummy (fifth–sixth centuries cal AD). The location and nature of the fractures in the cranium, cervical vertebrae, ribs and both legs indicate a fall from a considerable height, which would have been the cause of death. Supported by forensic anthropology criteria and historical information about the population of origin, the circumstances in which the fatal injuries might have occurred are discussed. Given the pattern of the injuries, it is debated whether they were the result of an accident or a ritual suicide, as aggression is thought to be a less likely scenario. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Violence targeting children or violent society? Craniofacial injuries among the pre‐Hispanic subadult population of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)

“…In any case, among the assemblage under study, it is not possible to completely discard the possibility of accidental injuries because, apart from the methodological complications to distinguish them, the abrupt relief of the island and the habitual mobility of part of the population also could have resulted in cranial injuries (Velasco‐Vázquez, Alberto‐Barroso, Delgado‐Darias, & Santana‐Cabrera, ). In this sense, the perimortem linear trauma located in the occipital of one of the subadults of Guayadeque (11 years old), although unique among the whole assemblage due to its position and nature, could well be the result of a backward fall (Guyomarc'h et al, ).…”

“…. In the case of the subadult population, the frontal, the facial skeleton, and the left parietal comprise 76.46% of the trauma which, according to the same logic, bolsters the hypothesis that violent actions were behind a significant proportion of the injuries identified among this sector of the population.In any case, among the assemblage under study, it is not possible to completely discard the possibility of accidental injuries because, apart from the methodological complications to distinguish them, the abrupt relief of the island and the habitual mobility of part of the population also could have resulted in cranial injuries (Velasco-Vázquez, Alberto-Barroso,Delgado-Darias, & Santana-Cabrera, 2017). In this sense, the perimortem linear trauma located in the occipital of one of the subadults of Guayadeque (11 years old), although unique among the whole assemblage due to its position and nature, could well be the result of a backward fall(Guyomarc'h et al, 2010).…”

Violence in paradise: Cranial trauma in the prehispanic population of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)

“…Guayadeque Ravine has been explored archaeologically since the second half of the 19th century, and as a result the assemblage of human remains is the largest in the Museo Canario (Delgado Darias et al, 2005; Velasco‐Vázquez et al, ). The fact that a large part of this material was recovered between the late 19th and early 20th centuries explains why archaeological information on the provenance of the remains is often scarce and that collection of skulls and long bones are not anatomically associated.…”

«Momias. Biografías en 3D». Una nueva mirada a los restos humanos momificados de la población prehispánica de Gran Canaria

“…• Los resultados de los trabajos abordados se dieron a conocer en el ámbito científico a través de diversas publicaciones (Alberto et al, en prensa;Delgado et al, 2017;Velasco et al, 2017).…”