HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS OF THE ANCIENT MAYA IN THE ...

109archaeological record. Thus, it is important to consider these various taphonomic agentsin the interpretation of the data. Despite the unstable cave environment and thelikelihood of a disturbed archaeological context, I contend that the human remainsdeposited in these caves represent a select group of secondarily buried individuals basedon the relative skeletal element frequencies, the minimum number of individuals, andevidence of possible human cut marks that indicate possible post-mortem activity.Relative skeletal element frequenciesRelative skeletal element frequencies reveal pertinent information concerning thetype and number of each bone deposited in a particular sample. In the case of the cavesof the Petexbatun, a specific depositional activity may have produced a skeletal samplecontaining certain bones and not others. For example, the primary burial or depositionof a complete human individual should produce most if not all of the bones of acomplete skeleton. With the exception of any peri- or post-mortem removal of bodyparts, this sample should contain the larger, more robust elements of the limbs andcranium, as well as the smaller bones of the hands and feet, ribs, and vertebra. Thus, thepresence of articulated remains or a sample comprised of both large and small skeletalelements may indicate possible primary burial/deposition and/or human sacrifice. Thearticulated remains of a nearly complete adult individual in Cueva de Sangre are goodevidence of a primary burial or a possible sacrificial victim. The individual was found ina dry, isolated passage that was geologically higher than the lower main passage. Due toits placement away from the more active main chamber, it appears as if the flow of water