Bioarchaeology of social transition: A diachronic study of pathological conditions at Tumilaca la Chimba, Peru

A diachronic analysis of pathological conditions at Tumilaca la Chimba, Peru, reveals significant shifts in physiological stressors during the transition from the terminal Middle Horizon to the Late Intermediate Period (LIP). While cribra orbitalia, indicating childhood stress, was more prevalent in the earlier Tumilaca sample, oral decay increased in the later Estuquiña cemetery. These findings suggest that while sociopolitical transitions may have altered the causes of physiological stressors, they did not necessarily lead to their abatement. The study highlights the importance of bioarchaeological data in understanding local experiences during broader pre-Hispanic Andean transitions.

Lowman, S. A., Sharratt, N., & Turner, B. L. (2018). Bioarchaeology of social transition: A diachronic study of pathological conditions at Tumilaca la Chimba, Peru. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 29(1), 62–72. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2713