The Bioarchaeology of the Human Head: Decapitation, Decoration, and Deformation
The Bioarchaeology of the Human Head: Decapitation, Decoration, and Deformation
Cite
Abstract
Featuring a wealth of case studies on human skulls recovered from ethnographic and archaeological contexts around the world, this book focuses on the question of whose skulls and heads were collected and modified and why, whether as ancestors or enemies, as insiders or outsiders, as males, females or children. This volume includes discussions of osteological examinations, visual descriptions, iconography, taphonomy, and DNA, x-ray and isotope analyses to determine, for example, whether the skulls belonged to ancestors or enemies, as local or non-local residents. Emphasizing social identity and the use of the body in ritual, this book includes varied approaches to heads and skulls as both biological objects and as material culture. Bioarchaeological discussions of these skulls shed light on questions of identity as well as on cultural, economic, and political practices within past societies. Whether decorated, disembodied, or deformed, collected for display or hidden, or otherwise modified or curated, skulls, and their study serve to illustrate the potential of the abundance of information that can be obtained from a combined analysis of this notable part of the human body.
-
Front Matter
-
1
Contextualizing the Human Head: An Introduction
-
Part I Symbolic and Contextual Approaches
-
2
Heads as Memorials and Status Symbols: The Collection and Use of Skulls in the Torres Strait Islands
Heather Bonney andMargaret Clegg
-
3
Melanesian Modeled Skulls, Mortuary Ritual, and Dental X-Rays: Ancestors, Enemies, Women, and Children
Michelle Bonogofsky andJeremy Graham
-
4
Marquesan Trophy Skulls: Description, Osteological Analyses, and Changing Motivations in the South Pacific
Frédérique Valentin andNoémie Rolland
-
5
The Social Lives of Severed Heads: Skull Collection and Display in Medieval and Early Modern Ireland
Barra O'Donnabhain
-
2
Heads as Memorials and Status Symbols: The Collection and Use of Skulls in the Torres Strait Islands
-
Part II: Bioarchaeological and Biochemical Approaches
-
6
Identifying the Origins of Decapitated Male Skeletons from 3 Driffield Terrace, York, Through Isotope Analysis: Reflections of the Cosmopolitan Nature of Roman York in the Time of Caracalla
Janet Montgomery andChristopher J. Knüsel
-
7
Biohistory and Cranial Morphology: A Forensic Case from Spanish Colonial Georgia
Christopher M. Stojanowski andWilliam N. Duncan
-
8
Skull Deformation During the Iron Age in the Trans-Urals and Western Siberia
Svetlana Sharapova andDmitry Razhev
-
9
Marking Ethnicity Through Premortem Cranial Modification Among the Pre-Inca Chiribaya, Peru
María Cecilia Lozada
-
10
Getting a Head Start in Life: Pre-Columbian Maya Cranial Modification from Infancy to Ancestorhood
Pamela L. Geller
-
11
How the Wari Fashioned Trophy Heads For Display: A Distinctive Modified Cranium from Cuzco, Peru, and Comparison to Trophies from the Capital Region
Valerie A. Andrushko
-
12
Nasca Trophy Head Origins and Ancient DNA
Kathleen Forgey
-
6
Identifying the Origins of Decapitated Male Skeletons from 3 Driffield Terrace, York, Through Isotope Analysis: Reflections of the Cosmopolitan Nature of Roman York in the Time of Caracalla
-
End Matter
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMonth: | Total Views: |
---|---|
October 2022 | 1 |
October 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 1 |
November 2022 | 3 |
December 2022 | 2 |
December 2022 | 2 |
January 2023 | 4 |
January 2023 | 1 |
January 2023 | 1 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 4 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 1 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 1 |
January 2023 | 6 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 4 |
January 2023 | 3 |
January 2023 | 1 |
January 2023 | 3 |
February 2023 | 8 |
February 2023 | 2 |
February 2023 | 1 |
February 2023 | 5 |
March 2023 | 2 |
March 2023 | 7 |
April 2023 | 2 |
May 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 1 |
May 2023 | 2 |
May 2023 | 4 |
August 2023 | 2 |
August 2023 | 2 |
September 2023 | 1 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 6 |
October 2023 | 2 |
October 2023 | 3 |
October 2023 | 3 |
October 2023 | 3 |
October 2023 | 3 |
October 2023 | 4 |
October 2023 | 2 |
November 2023 | 1 |
November 2023 | 4 |
November 2023 | 2 |
November 2023 | 2 |
December 2023 | 3 |
December 2023 | 2 |
December 2023 | 2 |
January 2024 | 3 |
February 2024 | 2 |
February 2024 | 1 |
February 2024 | 3 |
March 2024 | 2 |
March 2024 | 2 |
March 2024 | 1 |
April 2024 | 3 |
April 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 2 |
April 2024 | 3 |
April 2024 | 1 |
May 2024 | 1 |
May 2024 | 2 |
May 2024 | 1 |
May 2024 | 4 |
June 2024 | 2 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 5 |
August 2024 | 5 |
August 2024 | 2 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 1 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
August 2024 | 4 |
October 2024 | 1 |
October 2024 | 1 |
November 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 2 |
November 2024 | 1 |
December 2024 | 1 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 1 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 2 |
February 2025 | 3 |
March 2025 | 1 |
March 2025 | 4 |
March 2025 | 1 |
March 2025 | 2 |
April 2025 | 2 |
April 2025 | 2 |
April 2025 | 2 |
April 2025 | 1 |
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.