The Oldest Case of Decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)

We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7-12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1-9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26's isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo's inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death

Effect of Intra- and Extrauterine Growth on Long-Term Neurologic Outcomes of Very Preterm Infants

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Objeto, sujeito, inimigo, vovô: um estudo em etnomuseologia comparada entre os Mebêngôkre-Kayapó e Baniwa do Brasil

International audienceAbstract Ethnomuseology seeks to put indigenous people in dialog with their own material culture heritage. This article reflects on collaborative research carried out with Mebêngôkre-Kayapó and Baniwa consultants on important collections of both groups from the early twentieth century. In addition to noting differences between museological or scientific and indigenous concepts about museum objects, we also noticed a number of cultural differences in the way the two indigenous groups related to objects from their past. While both cultural groups attributed subjective characteristics to museum objects, for the Mebêngôkre-Kayapó this subjectivity expressed itself mostly in terms of possible threats to visitors of the museum collections, leading to a hesitancy to handle museum objects, assumed to be war trophies captured in the past from dangerous enemies. The Baniwa, by contrast, expressed great affection for ‘grandpa’s things’, and they felt they had a right to handle objects that represent the heritage of patrilineal clans. This experience in ethnomuseology highlights the diversity of indigenous concepts, attitudes and expectations about museum collections and the need for the dialogical approach to collaborative research.Resumo A etnomuseologia visa engajar os povos indígenas em um diálogo com a sua cultura material. Este artigo reflete sobre uma experiência efetuada no acervo etnográfico do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi com interlocutores Mebêngôkre-Kayapó e Baniwa sobre importantes coleções de seus respectivos povos, as quais datam do início do século XX. Além de perceber diferenças entre conceitos museológicos, ou científicos, e indígenas sobre as peças e os processos de musealização, também foi possível observar uma série de diferenças culturais entre os Mebêngôkre-Kayapó e os Baniwa no que concerne à maneira de se relacionar com os objetos de seu passado. Ambos os grupos atribuíram características subjetivas aos objetos no acervo, mas, no caso dos Mebêngôkre-Kayapó, a subjetividade das peças antigas representava uma ameaça aos visitantes do acervo, levando a um certo receio em manusear as peças, concebidas com troféus de guerra capturados de inimigos perigosos. Os Baniwa, ao contrário, expressavam grande carinho com os ‘objetos do vovô’ e sentiam-se no direito de manusear as peças que representam o patrimônio de clãs patrilineais. Esta experiência em etnomuseologia comparada ressalta a diversidade de conceitos, atitudes e expectativas dos povos indígenas perante às coleções museológicas, e a necessidade desta nova abordagem de pesquisa colaborativa