The bioarchaeology of artificial cranial modifications
Subtitle: new approaches to head shaping and its meanings in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and beyond
By: Vera Tiesler ; with a chapter contribution by Pilar Zabala
Contributors: Zabala Aguirre, Pilar, author
Series: Interdisciplinary contributions to archaeology; Interdisciplinary contributions to archaeology
Publisher: Springer
Published: 2014
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 269
ISBN-13: 9781461487593; 9781461487609
Subjects: Skull; Artificial deformities; Head; Indians of Mexico; Craniology; Indians of Central America; Human remains (Archaeology); Social life and customs; Antiquities; Anatomy & histology; Physical Anthropology; Methods; Body Modification, Non-Therapeutic; Central American Indians; North American Indians
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Part I. Interdisciplinary approaches to artificial cranial modification. Cultural frameworks for studying artificial cranial modifications : physical embodiment, identity, age, and gender ; Cranial expansion and artificial vault modifications ; Reconstructing ancient head-shaping traditions from the skeletal record ; Source compilation on head-shaping practices in Hispanic America / by Pilar Zabala; title: Part II. Regional practices and their cultural meanings in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica and beyond. Meanings of head-shaping practices in Mesoamerica ; Emulating Olmec gods through head form. Origins and the preclassic period ; Head shapes in classic period Mesoamerica ; Growing up Maya. Gender, identity and dynasty ; Head-shaping during the second millennium. Postclassic and postcontact Mesoamerica ; Conclusions : new perspectives for studying head-shaping practices in Mesoamerica.