Post mortem perturbations and reburials in early colonial Peru: bioarchaeological evidence and the ritual negociation of a religious paradox

Abstract

This review paper examines the burial practices of Peru’s indigenous populations throughout the early colonial period (1532-1570) based on a comparative qualitative meta-analysis of bioarchaeological and ethnohistorical publications. The study focuses on the specific cases of Puruchuco (Huaquerones and 57AS03), Mórrope, Magdalena de Cao and Iglesiachayoq, where post mortem modifications reveal the continuity of indigenous ritual connections. The symbolic implications of these practices are likewise studied bearing in mind the Andean understanding of the dead as active beings in social life. The overall conclusion is the presence of a paradoxical relationship between the formal acceptance of Christian burial patterns and the persistence of Andean ritual practices, which allows for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of cultural syncretism and transformation in the colonial Andes.