Chiribaya (Other Keyword)
1-3 (3 Records)
The inclusion of foods and eating utensils within graves at Chiribaya Alta, a Late Intermediate site ~5 km from the mouth of the Osmore river, Peru suggests that "feeding the dead" during funerary rites was a common practice within the Chiribaya polity. Thus far, however, these foods have not been systematically considered in relation to funerary practices. This study examines food items placed within tombs at Chiribaya Alta (n=307) and considers their potential symbolic meanings within funerary...
The Gendering of Children at Chiribaya Alta (2017)
At the site of Chiribaya Alta (900-1350 AD), located in the Osmore Valley of southern Peru, certain Chiribaya grave goods are associated with either adult males or females. For example, females are often buried with weaving tools, and males with musical instruments. It is not possible to estimate the biological sex of children from their skeletal remains. Therefore, children are often excluded from studies addressing gender identities. Here, we use grave goods known to be associated with sexed...
Of Mummies and Guinea Pigs: An Analysis of Burial Contexts at Chiribaya Alta (2017)
In the Pre-Incan site of Chiribaya Alta, animals were often included in the graves of the deceased. Cuy, or Guinea pig, are amongst the most common type of animal found in these contexts, signaling the significance of these animals for the Chiribaya peoples in life and in death. Among traditional peoples in the Andes documented ethnohistorically and ethnographically, guinea pigs are consumed as food and are also used for divination and other religious practices. At Chiribaya Alta, a site in...