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Recognizing Ritual Action and Intent in Communal Mourning Features on the Southern California Coast

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Kathleen L. Hull ,
John G. Douglass  and
Andrew L. York
Kathleen L. Hull
Affiliation:
School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts, University of California, Merced, California 95343 (khull3@ucmerced.edu)
John G. Douglass
Affiliation:
Statistical Research, Inc., 6099 E. Speedway Blvd., Tucson, Arizona 85712 (jdouglass@sricrm.com)
Andrew L. York
Affiliation:
AECOM, 1420 Kettner Boulevard, Suite 500, San Diego, California 92101 (Andy.York@aecom.com)
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Abstract

Recent excavations at two sites located along the coastal margin of the Los Angeles basin revealed three features created as a result of communal mourning ritual during the Intermediate Period (ca. 3000–1000 cal B.P.). Detailed analysis of constituents, structure, and context indicates that formation of these dense concentrations of ground stone implements, unmodified cobbles, other artifacts, and cremated human remains involved deliberate equipment production, sequential implement fragmentation and treatment including burning and pigmentation of items, and secondary interment of incomplete objects and bodies in pits within locales often used for this purpose over many generations. The large size and evident manipulation of objects as part of communal mourning ritual indicates that actions would have been readily visible to a gathered assembly. Thus, while the meaning and significance of these practices remains to be thoroughly explored, the data suggest that communal mourning ritual may have played a significant role in community-building and the maintenance of identity within a region with a dynamic population history.

Resumen

Resumen

Las recientes excavaciones en dos sitios arqueológicos ubicados a lo largo del margen costero de la cuenca de Los Angeles, revelaron tres características creadas como resultado de los rituales de luto colectivo durante el Periodo Intermedio (3000–1000 a.P). El análisis detallado de los componentes, la estructura y el contexto indica que la formación de estas concentraciones densas, de morteros de piedra, guijarros sin modificar, y otros artefactos además de cremaciones humanas, involucro la producción deliberada de equipo, el tratamiento y fragmentación secuencial de los implementos, incluyendo la quema y pigmentación de los objetos, y el entierro secundario de objetos y cuerpos incompletos en fosas dentro de lugares utilizados frecuentemente para este propósito durante muchas generaciones. El gran tamaño de los objetos y la manipulación evidente como parte del ritual de luto colectivo indica que las acciones hubieran sido fácilmente visibles por una asamblea reunida. Así, mientras que el significado y la importancia de estas prácticas que quedan por ser exploradas a fondo, los datos sugieren que el ritual de luto colectivo puede haber jugado un papel importante en la construcción de la comunidad y el manten¡miento de la identidad dentro de una región con una historia dinámica poblacional.

Type
Articles
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 78 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 24 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by the Society for American Archaeology.

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