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

124CHAPTER VIIICONCLUSIONSThe information gleaned from this collection has shed some light concerning theuse of caves by the Maya of the Petexbatun region. Over 1,000 skeletal elementsrecovered from these caves account for an estimate of 100 to 150 individuals, whichrepresents a diverse population comprised of both sexes and various age groups. Basedon several lines of evidence including relative skeletal element frequencies, estimates ofthe minimum and probable number of individuals, and the identification of human cutmarks, I was able to determine a predominance of primary depositional activity in thesecaves. The identification of cut marks suggests that secondary activity did occur, butpossibly at a lesser extent than primary deposition. Unfortunately, there was insufficientevidence to determine the status of these individuals. The possibility of human sacrificewas also considered in the study; however, the skeletal record produced no unequivocalosteological evidence to support this hypothesis. Archaeological issues such assampling bias and the active environment of the caves pose definite challenges in theaccurate interpretation of the activities responsible for the deposition of the skeletalsample. The evidence presented in this thesis clearly demonstrates the need for furtherinvestigation focusing on the deposition of human remains in caves, and underscores theneed for careful excavation instead of basic surface collections.The exploration and investigation of caves associated with Maya sites representsa growing field of study. The continued archaeological study of caves in the Maya arearepresents an important element in the general understanding of Maya lifestyles and their