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The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)

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The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil). / Strauss, Andre; Oliveira, Rodrigo Elias; Bernardo, Danilo V. et al.
In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 10, No. 9, e0137456, 23.09.2015.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Strauss, A, Oliveira, RE, Bernardo, DV, Salazar-Garcia, DC, Talamo, S, Jaouen, K, Hubbe, M, Black, S, Wilkinson, C, Richards, MP, Araujo, AGM, Kipnis, R & Neves, WA 2015, 'The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)', PLoS ONE, vol. 10, no. 9, e0137456. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0137456

APA

Strauss, A., Oliveira, R. E., Bernardo, D. V., Salazar-Garcia, D. C., Talamo, S., Jaouen, K., Hubbe, M., Black, S., Wilkinson, C., Richards, M. P., Araujo, A. G. M., Kipnis, R., & Neves, W. A. (2015). The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil). PLoS ONE, 10(9), Article e0137456. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0137456

Vancouver

Strauss A, Oliveira RE, Bernardo DV, Salazar-Garcia DC, Talamo S, Jaouen K et al. The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil). PLoS ONE. 2015 Sept 23;10(9):e0137456. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137456

Author

Strauss, Andre ; Oliveira, Rodrigo Elias ; Bernardo, Danilo V. et al. / The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil). In: PLoS ONE. 2015 ; Vol. 10, No. 9.

Bibtex

@article{1ab6c83bc1fb4847bbeca46d4c2c5cce,
title = "The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)",
abstract = "We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7–12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1–9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26{\textquoteright}s isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo{\textquoteright}s inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.",
author = "Andre Strauss and Oliveira, {Rodrigo Elias} and Bernardo, {Danilo V.} and Salazar-Garcia, {Domingo C.} and Sahra Talamo and Klervia Jaouen and Mark Hubbe and Sue Black and Caroline Wilkinson and Richards, {Michael Phillip} and Araujo, {Astolfo G. M.} and Renato Kipnis and Neves, {Walter Alves}",
year = "2015",
month = sep,
day = "23",
doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0137456",
language = "English",
volume = "10",
journal = "PLoS ONE",
issn = "1932-6203",
publisher = "Public Library of Science",
number = "9",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The oldest case of decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)

AU - Strauss, Andre

AU - Oliveira, Rodrigo Elias

AU - Bernardo, Danilo V.

AU - Salazar-Garcia, Domingo C.

AU - Talamo, Sahra

AU - Jaouen, Klervia

AU - Hubbe, Mark

AU - Black, Sue

AU - Wilkinson, Caroline

AU - Richards, Michael Phillip

AU - Araujo, Astolfo G. M.

AU - Kipnis, Renato

AU - Neves, Walter Alves

PY - 2015/9/23

Y1 - 2015/9/23

N2 - We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7–12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1–9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26’s isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo’s inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.

AB - We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7–12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1–9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26’s isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo’s inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0137456

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0137456

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26397983

VL - 10

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

SN - 1932-6203

IS - 9

M1 - e0137456

ER -