Violence and Perimortem Signaling among Early Irrigation Communities in the Sonoran Desert

Watson, James T.; Phelps, Danielle

doi:10.1086/688256

Cited by 25 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 67 publications

(105 reference statements)

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“…Beheaded. The archeological, historical, and ethnographic records are replete with evidence not only of violence, but of violence that is overtly grisly and goes beyond simply ending the threat posed by an antagonist (Alfsdotter & Kjellström, 2019;Dawes, 2013;Dolce, 2017;Thrasher & Handfield, 2018;Watson & Phelps, 2016;Rosaldo, 1980). Today, internet searches readily return photos and videos of the acts of terrorist organizations, crime syndicates, and repressive regimes, all of whom not only kill their victims, but conspicuously damage them in a gruesome fashion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gruesomeness conveys formidability: Perpetrators of gratuitously grisly acts are conceptualized as larger, stronger, and more likely to win

Scrivner

Holbrook

Fessler

et al. 2020

Aggressive Behavior

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While associated with extreme terrorist organizations in modern times, extensive accounts of grisly acts of violence exist in the archeological, historical, and ethnographic records. Though reasons for this dramatic form of violence are multifaceted and diverse, one possibility is that violence beyond what is required to win a conflict is a method by which violent actors communicate to others that they are formidable opponents. The Formidability Representation Hypothesis predicts that formidability is cognitively represented using the dimensions of envisioned bodily size and strength. We tested the informational ramifications of gruesome acts using two vignette studies depicting individuals who either did or did not grievously damage the corpse of a deceased foe. Participants rated the individual's height, bodily size and strength, as well as his aggressiveness, motivation, and capacity to vanquish opponents in future conflicts.Results indicate that, as predicted, committing gruesome acts of violence enhances perceptions of formidability as measured both by envisioned bodily size and strength and expectations regarding the outcomes of agonistic conflicts. Moreover, the gruesome actor was perceived as more aggressive and more motivated to overcome his enemies, and this mediated the increase in conceptualized size and strength. These results both provide further evidence for the Formidability Representation Hypothesis and support the thesis that overtly grisly violence is tactically employed in part because it conveys information about the perpetrator's formidability.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gruesomeness conveys formidability: Perpetrators of gratuitously grisly acts are conceptualized as larger, stronger, and more likely to win

Scrivner

Holbrook

Fessler

et al. 2020

Aggressive Behavior

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“…Furthermore, during the San Pedro phase (1220–730 BC) farmer-foragers did not have a negative impact on agricultural soils or local fauna even in the most densely occupied areas (Homburg 2015:224; Macphail 2015:153; Waters, Reyes, and Wolff 2015:301). There is, however, evidence for conflict identifiable through skeletal trauma (Watson 2011; Watson and Byrd 2015), which may indicate competition over resources regardless of population pressure (Watson and Phelps 2016).…”

Section: A Global Context For Late Archaic Foodwaysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity-Disturbance Relationships in the Late Archaic Southwest: Implications for Farmer-Forager Foodways

Sinensky

Farahani

2018

Am. Antiq.

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The analysis of more than 1,300 flotation samples from thousands of excavated cultural features dating to the San Pedro phase (1220–730 BC) at the Las Capas site in southern Arizona provides evidence of long-term continuity and change in plant cultivation and collection practices in response to environmental disturbances during the Late Archaic period (2100 BC–AD 50). Although preceramic foodways in the region are widely considered to have been stable for roughly 2,500 years following the introduction of maize prior to 2100 BC, analyses of macrobotanical data reveal that moderate-intensity flood events during the Middle San Pedro phase (930–800 BC) preceded the greatest richness and diversity of harvested plants, while reliance on maize was reduced. In contrast, in periods with little environmental disturbance maize was more dominant, with less diversity in other cultivated and foraged plants. Novel cultivation, processing, and foraging practices were initiated in response to disturbance but persisted after floodplain conditions stabilized. It is argued that the reciprocal relationship between disturbance and botanical diversity is integral for understanding the long-term resilience of Late Archaic foodways and that this relationship is best modeled using ecological theories termed the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis and the Intermediate Productivity Hypothesis.

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“…According to this shared assumption, our burial represents a funerary custom that clearly falls within the category of so‐called deviant or atypical burials, which are often interpreted as indicative of social marginality and deviancy (Murphy, ; Reynolds, ). However, every social interaction, especially those concerning patterns of interpersonal violence, is characterised by a high degree of complexity (Watson & Phelps, ), which often makes clear identification uncertain based solely on the archaeological analysis of a context. Therefore, it is essential to examine further aspects that can be evaluated through detailed bioarchaeological examination.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An execution in medieval Sicily: Computerised tomography scan analysis and 3D reconstruction of an ancient forensic context

Miccichè

Colella

Sìneo

2019

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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The bioarchaeological and forensic approach is increasingly applied in the study of funerary contexts in archaeology. Here, we present a case of an atypical medieval burial recently discovered in Piazza Armerina (Sicily), in which the integrated use of traditional bioarchaeological and forensic anthropology methods was crucial. The skeleton was lying in a prone position and was characterised by a peculiar injury pattern. We recorded six clear stab wound marks on the posterior surface of the sternum. The use of computerised tomography scan and 3D modelling techniques has made it possible to obtain a reliable reconstruction of the cause and modality of death, pointing to the execution of the individual. The importance of this case study is twofold. First, the injury pattern recorded currently constitutes a unicum in the bioarchaeological record. Second, it represents the first well‐documented case of an atypical burial in Sicily.

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Violence and Perimortem Signaling among Early Irrigation Communities in the Sonoran Desert

Cited by 25 publications

References 67 publications

Gruesomeness conveys formidability: Perpetrators of gratuitously grisly acts are conceptualized as larger, stronger, and more likely to win

Gruesomeness conveys formidability: Perpetrators of gratuitously grisly acts are conceptualized as larger, stronger, and more likely to win

Diversity-Disturbance Relationships in the Late Archaic Southwest: Implications for Farmer-Forager Foodways

An execution in medieval Sicily: Computerised tomography scan analysis and 3D reconstruction of an ancient forensic context

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