Punitive Limb Amputation

Mavroforou, Anna; Malizos, Konstantinos N.; Karachalios, Theofilos; Chatzitheofilou, Konstantinos; Giannoukas, Athanasios D.

doi:10.1007/s11999-014-3480-6

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Mutilation was intended not to kill, but rather to humiliate or disable, and was meted out as punishment for crimes that did not warrant the death penalty. Mutilation can involve amputation of a limb or cutting off parts of the face, the ears or the nose (Sperati 2009;Mavroforou et al 2014). In the latter case, the victim would literally 'lose face' (Groebner 1995).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Summary justice or the King's will? The first case of formal facial mutilation from Anglo-Saxon England

et al. 2020

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mutilation can involve amputation of a limb or cutting off parts of the face, the ears or the nose (Sperati 2009; Mavroforou et al . 2014). In the latter case, the victim would literally ‘lose face’ (Groebner 1995).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Summary justice or the King's will? The first case of formal facial mutilation from Anglo-Saxon England

et al. 2020

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“…The second explanation, which is often found in the literature, is that amputation was implemented as a form of punishment for culturally and/or socially unaccepted behaviour (Friedmann 1972;Mavroforou et al 2014). Lastres [1943] describes different types of mutilations identifiable on ancient Peruvian pottery (mainly of Moche origin) and suggests that amputations of lips, noses or legs were clearly results of punishment.…”

Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case of Foot Amputation from the Wari Imperial Tomb at Castillo de Huarmey, Peru

Więckowski

2016

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Evidence of surgical interventions leaving traces on bones is quite abundant in archaeological material all over the world and is found frequently in the Andes. Among them, trepanations are most common, while amputations represent a relatively small part of the material. These have been reported from a few sites on the Peruvian north coast and archaeologically associated with the Moche culture. In 2013, two new cases from this area were found in situ within the Wari imperial mausoleum excavated at Castillo de Huarmey. Two individuals, one man and one woman, were found in the antechamber, serving as guards for the occupants of the main burial chamber. Their left feet were amputated, disarticulated at the ankle joints, a long time before they died. The article presents this find and discusses the form of amputation and the possible reasons why it was performed. As the context of both individuals possessed the same specifics, suggesting that they performed similar tasks related to religion and ritual, this article also presents a cultural interpretation of these finds, using other artefacts-ceremonial beakers in the form of the left human foot-known from Wari and Tiwanaku cultures.

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“…In modern and historic contexts, intentional amputation has been performed as punishment or as a ritual practice (Adejumo and Olabisi Adejumo 2005;Bosmia et al 2014;Kirkup 2007;Mavroforou et al 2014). Some have suggested these potential motivations for pre-Hispanic north coast Peruvian amputations (Kirkup 2007;Verano et al 2000;Więckowski 2016).…”

Section: Differential Diagnosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Two (Missing) Left Feet

Phillips

Cruz

Martín

et al. 2021

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Understanding pre-Hispanic Andean medical practices through skeletal evidence of surgery has been the focus of a number of bioarchaeological investigations in recent years. Amputation is an especially interesting topic of research due to the variety of social contexts in which it might have occurred. Interpretations for amputation found on the north coast of Peru have included therapeutic intervention, punitive measures, and ritualistic dismemberment. Here, we present two new cases of successful left foot amputation in young adult females excavated from Huaca Las Balsas (Late Intermediate Period, A.D. 1100–1470) and Huaca Las Abejas (Late Horizon, A.D. 1470–1535) at the ancient religious and administrative center of Túcume. Chronologically, they are the latest cases of pre-Hispanic amputation published to date. Contextual evidence supports a therapeutic motivation for the procedure, as individualized burial treatment and placement within a cemetery group of social elites is not consistent with punitive or ritualistic action. Modification of the malleoli, extensive bone proliferation covering the talar articulations, and asymmetrical cortical bone thickness of the tibiae and fibulae (revealed radiographically) suggest the return of some functional mobility using the affected limb after healing. This long-term recovery is evidence of access to quality medical care and accommodation of functional impairment within the amputees’ communities. The presented research uses the bioarchaeology of care to explore the lived experiences of these amputees and their social identities, making an important contribution to the anthropology of disability across cultures and time periods. Comprender las prácticas médicas andinas prehispánicas a través de evidencia esquelética de cirugía ha sido el foco de una serie de investigaciones bioarqueológicas en los últimos años. La amputación es un tema de investigación especialmente interesante debido a la variedad de contextos sociales en los que podría haber ocurrido. Las interpretaciones para la amputación que se encuentran en la costa norte del Perú han incluido la intervención terapéutica, las medidas punitivas y el desmembramiento ritual. Aquí, presentamos dos nuevos casos de amputación exitosa del pie izquierdo en hembras adultas jóvenes excavadas desde Huaca Las Balsas (PeríodoIntermedio Tardío, A.D. 1100–1470) y Huaca Las Abejas (Horizonte Tardío, D.C. 1470–1535) en el antiguo centro religioso y administrativo de Túcume. Cronológicamente, son los últimos casos de amputación prehispánica publicados hasta la fecha. La evidencia contextual apoya una motivación terapéutica para el procedimiento, ya que el tratamiento y la colocación individualizados del entierro dentro de un grupo cementerio de élites sociales no es consistente con la acción punitiva o ritualista. La modificación de los maléolos, la extensa proliferación ósea que cubre las articulaciones talares y el grosor óseo cortical asimétrico de las tibias y los peronés (revelados radiográficamente) sugieren el regreso de cierta movilidad funcional utilizando la extremidad afectada despuésde la curación. Esta recuperación a largo plazo es evidencia del acceso a atención médica de calidad y alojamiento de deterioro funcional dentro de las comunidades de amputados. La investigación presentada utiliza la “bioarqueología de la caridad” para explorar las experiencias vividas de estos amputados y sus identidades sociales, haciendo una contribución importante a la antropología de la discapacidad a través de las culturas y períodos de tiempo.

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Punitive Limb Amputation

Cited by 16 publications

References 10 publications

Summary justice or the King's will? The first case of formal facial mutilation from Anglo-Saxon England

Summary justice or the King's will? The first case of formal facial mutilation from Anglo-Saxon England

A Case of Foot Amputation from the Wari Imperial Tomb at Castillo de Huarmey, Peru

Two (Missing) Left Feet

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