Citation

Velasco-Vázquez J, Alberto-Barroso V, Delgado-Darias T, Santana-Cabrera J. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol. 2017; 27(3): 441-452.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/oa.2567

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Perimortem traumas have been identified in a pre-Hispanic Canary mummy (fifth-sixth centuries cal AD). The location and nature of the fractures in the cranium, cervical vertebrae, ribs and both legs indicate a fall from a considerable height, which would have been the cause of death. Supported by forensic anthropology criteria and historical information about the population of origin, the circumstances in which the fatal injuries might have occurred are discussed. Given the pattern of the injuries, it is debated whether they were the result of an accident or a ritual suicide, as aggression is thought to be a less likely scenario. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

accident; bone trauma; Canary Islands; free-fall; mummy; perimortem; ritual suicide