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

115subterranean contexts. Moreover, the children identified in the sample may be subadultsthat died of natural causes and interred within these caves.Caves of the PetexbatunEach cave of the Petexbatun region represents a unique geological andarchaeological context. The activities suggested in this study are not ubiquitousthroughout the entire cave system. Consideration of each cave as a separate unit mayfacilitate a better interpretation of the type(s) of depositional activity that may haveoccurred in these caves.Cueva de El DuendeEvidence of fluvial activity and looting was clearly responsible for thedisturbance of the archaeological record of CD. The skeletal sample excavated from thissmall cave is represented by smaller elements such as rib and vertebral material. Thenumber of identified specimens (NISP) and the relative skeletal element frequenciessuggest primary burial or deposition, and possible secondary activity. No articulatedremains were documented in CD. However, the identification of several cut marks onthe ischial portion of an incomplete pelvic bone points to a depositional activity that mayhave necessitated the dismemberment or disarticulation of a human body or skeletalelements, i.e. secondary burial activity. This is the only bone with evidence of cut markscaused by a human agent from CD. The most accurate estimate of the minimum andprobable number of individuals is at the level of the lot with six individuals, including anadult male, three adults of indeterminate age and sex, and two children. One must keep