Taphonomical study of the anthropological remains from Cova Des Pas (Minorca)

Núria Armentano Oller; Xavier Esteve Gràcia; Dominika Nociarová; Assumpció Malgosa Morera

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.10.025

Taphonomical study of the anthropological remains from Cova Des Pas (Minorca)

Núria Armentano Oller, Xavier Esteve Gràcia, Dominika Nociarová, Assumpció Malgosa Morera

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The present research proposes a new way of reconstructing the taphonomic history of the human remains recovered at Cova des Pas (Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain). The cave was used as a collective burial site during the later stages of the prehistory of the island and contains a minimum of 66 individuals in a strongly flexed position. Environmental conditions in the cave enabled the preservation of organic remains associated with the skeletal remains, unusual in archaeological contexts, such as hair or shrouds. A new taphonomic reconstruction of Cova des Pas is proposed, based on the analysis of cortical surfaces, fractures, and disturbance of human bones. This study shows that the observable taphonomic damage is the result of body modification due to the interrelationship between the perimortem treatment of corpses, burial space and taphonomic agents and processes. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	112-119
Journal	Quaternary International
Volume	275
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.10.025
Publication status	Published - 10 Oct 2012

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title = "Taphonomical study of the anthropological remains from Cova Des Pas (Minorca)",

abstract = "The present research proposes a new way of reconstructing the taphonomic history of the human remains recovered at Cova des Pas (Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain). The cave was used as a collective burial site during the later stages of the prehistory of the island and contains a minimum of 66 individuals in a strongly flexed position. Environmental conditions in the cave enabled the preservation of organic remains associated with the skeletal remains, unusual in archaeological contexts, such as hair or shrouds. A new taphonomic reconstruction of Cova des Pas is proposed, based on the analysis of cortical surfaces, fractures, and disturbance of human bones. This study shows that the observable taphonomic damage is the result of body modification due to the interrelationship between the perimortem treatment of corpses, burial space and taphonomic agents and processes. {\textcopyright} 2011 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.",

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T1 - Taphonomical study of the anthropological remains from Cova Des Pas (Minorca)

AU - Armentano Oller, Núria

AU - Esteve Gràcia, Xavier

AU - Nociarová, Dominika

AU - Malgosa Morera, Assumpció

PY - 2012/10/10

Y1 - 2012/10/10

N2 - The present research proposes a new way of reconstructing the taphonomic history of the human remains recovered at Cova des Pas (Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain). The cave was used as a collective burial site during the later stages of the prehistory of the island and contains a minimum of 66 individuals in a strongly flexed position. Environmental conditions in the cave enabled the preservation of organic remains associated with the skeletal remains, unusual in archaeological contexts, such as hair or shrouds. A new taphonomic reconstruction of Cova des Pas is proposed, based on the analysis of cortical surfaces, fractures, and disturbance of human bones. This study shows that the observable taphonomic damage is the result of body modification due to the interrelationship between the perimortem treatment of corpses, burial space and taphonomic agents and processes. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

AB - The present research proposes a new way of reconstructing the taphonomic history of the human remains recovered at Cova des Pas (Minorca, Balearic Islands, Spain). The cave was used as a collective burial site during the later stages of the prehistory of the island and contains a minimum of 66 individuals in a strongly flexed position. Environmental conditions in the cave enabled the preservation of organic remains associated with the skeletal remains, unusual in archaeological contexts, such as hair or shrouds. A new taphonomic reconstruction of Cova des Pas is proposed, based on the analysis of cortical surfaces, fractures, and disturbance of human bones. This study shows that the observable taphonomic damage is the result of body modification due to the interrelationship between the perimortem treatment of corpses, burial space and taphonomic agents and processes. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA.

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.10.025

DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.10.025

M3 - Article

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VL - 275

SP - 112

EP - 119

JO - Quaternary International

JF - Quaternary International

ER -

Taphonomical study of the anthropological remains from Cova Des Pas (Minorca)

Abstract

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