Abstract

MAINOU CERVANTES, Luisa; ANTUNA BIZARRO, Silvia; FORTOUL VAN DER GOES, Teresa  and  STRAULINO MAINOU, Luisa. Identification of Human Tissue Remains on Mexican Pre-Hispanic Ritual Instruments. Intervención (Méx. DF) [online]. 2017, vol.8, n.15, pp.22-32. ISSN 2007-249X.

This RESEARCH focuses on seven ritual instruments, whose formal typology has been liked with sacrifice and self-sacrifice in different pre-Hispanic cultures of today Mexico. Its purpose was to find organic human remains that would link the artefacts with the above-mentioned practices. The study began by obtaining samples from four elements made of obsidian, a maguey spike, and two tip points carved out of bone, all which were subjected to scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Finally, an interdisciplinary team of restoration and medicine professionals interpreted the results, which concluded with the identification of diverse organic diagnostics remains, such as blood cells and human tissue remains.

Keywords : pre-Columbian instruments; sacrifice; self-sacrifice; organic remains; scanning electron microscopy (SEM); Mexico.