THE SITE (p 2)
» page 1, 2
Human remains provide insight into the health and lifestyle of
El Macayo residents. Remains of fifteen individuals were uncovered
during the excavations; thirteen were buried (known as “inhumation”)
and two were cremated with the ashes redeposited in pottery vessels
that were then buried. All of the El Macayo remains and the artifacts
that had been buried with them were transferred to representatives
of the Tohono O’odham nation for reburial according to the
requirements of state and federal laws.
Slightly more than half of the El Macayo remains were under the
age of fifteen and three were infants. Although this might seem
like a high mortality rate among the young, similar rates are not
uncommon among the populations of less developed countries today.
Of the remaining individuals, two were adults and the rest were
too fragmentary and incomplete to determine age or gender. One of
the two adults was an older male, perhaps over 45 years, and the
other was a young female between 17 and 25 years. There is some
evidence of dietary and occupational stress: one child’s remains
exhibited evidence of porotic hyperostosis, a form of anemia
that often reflects certain deficiencies in the individual’s
diet. The older adult male suffered from osteophytic lipping
(commonly known as arthritis), which is evidenced by remodeling
of the bone caused by heavy manual labor. The latter is not atypical
for someone of this age group. Although the skeletal remains did
not indicate any other health problems, people probably suffered
from a variety of ailments that would not be reflected in the skeletal
material. There was no evidence for cause of death on any of the
remains.
Several of the burials had offerings placed into the grave with
the body, suggesting that there was a belief in an afterlife. Two
of the children had jewelry placed with them, and three individuals
had ceramic vessels placed alongside the body. It is quite possible
that these vessels contained food or other supplies that were not
preserved. One infant was interred with a dog, which may well have
been a family pet.
A second dog was interred outside of a house. Dog burials are not
uncommon in the American Southwest, where dogs have been domesticated
since the Archaic period. They likely served a number of functions—companions,
hunting retrievers, watchdogs—so it is not surprising to find
that they were treated with regard at death.
A bird burial was found in the same area as many of the human remains.
The bird is somewhat unusual, as it is identified as a juvenile
Military Macaw (Ara militaris)—a type of bird that
is not indigenous to the Nogales area. Military Macaws are native
to the pine and oak forest mountain regions of southern Sonora and
Sinaloa, so the bird must have been acquired through trade. This
is only the second Military Macaw known from sites in the American
Southwest. Only about eight weeks old at the time of its death,
the macaw would not have been fully developed skeletally, or have
its full plumage. Most of the macaws recovered from archaeological
sites in the Southwest and northwestern Mexico are Scarlet Macaws
(Ara Macao), indigenous to southern Mexico. The Scarlet
Macaw, in particular, was highly prized for its mature feathers
that are vivid blues and reds.
The animal bone that was recovered during the excavations also
indicated that large and small game provided a significant source
of meat protein. Particularly important were deer and antelope that
would have thrived on the surrounding grasslands. There was also
evidence that rabbits—especially cottontails—were a
key source of meat. Inhabitants also consumed gophers, muskrats,
various types of mice, and a number of birds including quail, hawks,
and other large birds. All of these animals would have lived in
the surrounding region, so it appears that there were ample game
resources.
» page 1,
2
Next: Material Culture
|
