Old Hispanic pre-baptism initiation rites, chants and processions

A Pre-Hispanic Head

This report on a male head revealed biologic rhythms, as gleaned from hydrogen isotope ratios in hair, consistent with a South-American origin and Atomic Mass Spectrometry radiocarbon dating (AMS) compatible with the last pre-Hispanic period (1418-1491 AD, 95.4% probability). Biopsies showed exceptionally well-preserved tissues. The hair contained high levels of toxic elements (lead, arsenic an...

Gender in Pre-Hispanic America

Rights and Rites: Initiation, Language and Performance in Law and Legal Education

Jonathan Yovel’s article, Rights and Rites: Initiation, Language and Performancein Law and Legal Education, represents a sophisticated examination of the role language plays in legal education and law more generally. In doing so, Yovel draws upon a wealth of resources, including perhaps most centrally, traditions emerging from the philosophy of language and critical linguistics. Yovel argues th...

Evidence of Tungiasis in Pre-Hispanic America

Ancient parasites of the genus Tunga originated in America and, during the first half of the 19th century, were transported to the Eastern Hemisphere on transatlantic voyages. Although they were first documented by Spanish chroniclers after the arrival of Columbus, little is known about their presence in pre-Hispanic America. To evaluate the antiquity of tungiasis in America, we assessed severa...

Cranio-facial clefts in pre-hispanic America.

Among the representations of congenital malformations in Moche ceramic art, cranio-facial clefts have been portrayed in pottery found in Moche burials. These pottery vessels were used as domestic items during lifetime and funerary offerings upon death. The aim of this study was to examine archeological evidence for representations of cranio-facial cleft malformations in Moche vessels. Pottery d...