TABLE 2.1.

Sequenced sacrificial and funerary conduct and sets of indicators

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Time Biographic Form Predepositional Primary deposition Postdepositional Secondary
sequence profile of death body treatment manipulation deposition

- All age groups - Natural - Embalming - Single - Removal/extraction of - Single or multiple

body parts successive
- Both sexes - Accidental - Cinnnabar application - Bone arrangement
Expected funerary - Body placement - Desecration
attributes and offerings and offerings caching
- Dismemberment?
- Association to living spaces, - Bone relics - Association to living
- Adornments internment spaces, container
- No information - Cremation
(Predominantly Postclassic) - Body arrangement - Disturbance - Bone arrangement
Osteologic/
- Sex/age - Constriction effects - Funerary container and - Missing body segments - Funerary container
tafonomical
distribution - Pigmentation associated artifacts
correlates
- Associated artifacts
- Heat exposure - Location - Worked bones and teeth - Location
(>600 ⬚C)
- Predominantly - Violent - Butchering - Single or multiple - Reduction - Single or collective
2nd and 3rd (complete/incomplete) incomplete disposal
Expected attributes
infancy adolescents - Non-natural - Dismemberment - No body arrangement or - Extraction
and young adults subst. offerings
in post-sacrificial - Skinning
deposits
- Association to public- - Desecration - No bone arrangement
- Defleshing ceremonial spaces or offerings
- Consumption - Simple interment or placing - Re-use of bone - Discarded in public
Osteologic/ - Mostly male above ground segments domain, ritual spaces,
- Signs of
tafonomical - Burning refuse middens
perimortem
correlates - Irregular arrengement - Disturbance
- Sex/age violence (cut or - Cut marks, slicing,
distribution stab marks on percussion, fractures
- No funerary container - Missing body segments - No bone arrangement,
skull, ribs,
sternum and - No/few associated artifacts - Worked bones and teeth isolated bone
vertebrae) - Heat exposure
(<600 ⬚C) - Location
 TABLE 2.2. Sequenced sacrificial procedures and potential skeletal marks
Postmortem interval Depositional sequence Conduct Possible skeletal indications
Perimortem Predepositional Death by arrow wounds Unhealed stab wounds, mostly in the trunk area
Perimortem Predepositional Stoning Unhealed blunt force trauma mostly on skull
Perimortem Predepositional Throat slashing Unhealed sharp force trauma in bodies of cervical vertebras
Peri-postmortem Predepositional Heart extraction Unhealed sharp force trauma on the ribs, sternal bone, lower thoracic vertebras
Peri-postmortem Predepositional Decapitation Unhealed, sharp force trauma in cervical vertebras, possibly mandible
Peri-postmortem Predepositional Butchery Impact stabs and cuts mostly distributed on trunk, green bone fractures, crushing
Peri-postmortem Pre-postdepositional Burning Charring, mostly low direct heat exposure (<600 ˚C)
Peri-postmortem Predepositional Disembowelment Slicings on vertebras, rib cage, and pelvic girdle
Peri-postmortem Predepositional Flaying Slicings on skull and scapula/clavicle
Postmortem Predepositional Defleshing Slicing and scratch marks on bone shafts, along muscle attachment areas
Postmortem Predepositional Disarticulation Impact cuts, blunt force, breakage tends to be distributed around joints
Postmortem Predepositional Anthropophagy Percussion breakage and abrasion, slicing cut marks on shafts and surrounding
joints, spiral fractures, different forms of heat exposure, missing vertebras, cut
marks, pot polish
Postmortem Postmortem, Bone recycling Sawing, drilling, breakage, abrasion, polishing, chiselling, engraving, painting
Post depositional (preforms, finished forms, or discard)

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