8MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

cave in which a uropygid (Mastigoproctusgiganteus) , commonly known as a vinegarroon,was found.SKULLS AND BONESSotano de los Huesos or Sotano de laCaja de Agua, in Buenavista, is one of themost interesting caves. It combines aspectsof caving, local folklore, archaeology,and ancient burial traditions. It islocated at the bottom of an uvala. The mainentrance originated from a roof collapse,giving way to a boulder-scattered ramp thatends in a 9-meter drop. The walls have beengreatly corroded, making them dangerous forropes. After passing three side leads, wedescended to a lower level and followed anirregular, narrow, sharp-rocked passageuntil we came upon a sandy drainage bottom.There we found a human cranium, some bitsof bones, and bits of painted pottery.These, after talking to the village heads,we packed up carefully and sent to theOsteology Laboratory of the Institute ofAnthropological Research of the UNAM to bestudied.We were later informed that the bonesbelonged to a 25-year-old man. From theceramic style of the pottery fragments, thefind is presumed to belong to the ClassicMesoamerican Horizon (approximately A.D.200-800). The skull shows an intentionaldeformation of the erect fronto-occipitaltabular intense type (determined by craniometry)that was traditional in prehispaniccultures for reasons of physical beauty orof ritual. The global analysis of thebones shows that there were at least oneadult and six children of different agesburied in the cave. We also found opilionidsof the Hoplobunus genus.The villagers told us many stories offamily feuds, fighting during the Revolution,and the burial of fortunes in cavesof the region. One of their legends tellsthat on the 29th of June, the spirits thatcare for the treasures abandon their caves,giving the villagers an opportunity tosearch for them. Naturally, this has favoredthe sacking of caves believed to hidetreasures.NmEntranceSOTANO DE LOS HUESOSRancherfa de BuenavistaMunicipio de Tepatlaxco, Veracruz(Clave VTB-009)o,PlanMeters- 34.16mpot sherdsand cranium,,.,.,Suunto & Tape Survey24 May 1984 byA. Raz-Guzman, A. Sanchez,G. Mora40