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Description
The purpose of this research is to determine if there is bioarchaeological evidence of warfare in late Formative period Minizundo phase (400BC–AD150) Cerro de la Cruz, Oaxaca, Mexico. A mortuary profile was constructed from the results of a 2014 bioarchaeological analysis of 25 individuals originally excavated in 1988. An investigation was held using data from the mortuary profile, burial profile, and burial practices to determine if warfare was a part of interregional interactions at Cerro de la Cruz. The first part of this work includes background information on the geography and regional development of the Oaxaca highland and lowland, as well as the archaeological projects of the lower Río Verde Valley, including the site of Cerro de la Cruz. In order to address the current theoretical debates relating to the past interactions of the highland and lowland regions, the Monte Albán Imperialism Argument and the Coastal Autonomy Theory will be discussed. A section on bioarchaeology explains methods used to collect data from human remains; the kind of data that is used in the mortuary profile and burial profile of this work. Based on the archaeological record established by Arthur A. Joyce and Sarah B. Barber, and from the evidence of Cerro de la Cruz, it is the conclusion of this thesis that the lowland region of Oaxaca was never overthrown by the mountainous highland region. The results of this work indicate that there is no bioarchaeological evidence that suggests warfare activities or that a mass grave burial took place at Minizundo phase Cerro de la Cruz. Suggestions for future bioarchaeological work include the continued analysis of burials from Minizundo phase Cerro de la Cruz and other sites of lowland Oaxaca. Exploration into the cause of the decline of individuals representing Miniyua phase Cerro de la Cruz would also be beneficial.
