Burials 09-03, 09-04 and 09-05

Burials 09-03, 09-04 and 09-05 were excavated in a stone-lined rectangular cist in affluent dwelling Q-39 in Milpa 1 . They date to the Postclassic period based on associated grave goods (Chapter 5, Figure 5.15 in volume associated with dataset). The cist had a large, round, flat stone near the top in the southern sector. Primary burial 09-03 was found below this stone in a tightly flexed, ventral position (See image, see also Figure 5.15). A smaller round, flat stone was found directly beneath the skull, and a shark’s tooth was found directly above this individual’s occipital. Sex is determined to be female based on the wide subpubic angle and greater sciatic notches, as well as the small dimensions of the right humerus and tibia (Wrobel et al. 2002). The age of this skeleton is estimated as middle adult based on auricular surface morphology and dental wear. Taphonomic destruction of the former precluded a more precise age assessment. Burial 09-03 exhibits tabular erect cranial modification, the dominant form at Mayapan and throughout the Maya area during the Postclassic period (Tiesler, 1998).
Burials 09-04 and 09-05 were encountered below burial 09-03 in a poor state of preservation (See image). The burial number 09-05 refers to the northeastern corner of the cist whereas 09-04 refers to the remainder of the cist. Burial 09-05 consists mainly of subadult bones, including the maxilla and teeth of a juvenile of approximately 4.5 years of age-at-death. Burial 09-04 consists of numerous bones of adults, the teeth of an infant approximately 2 years of age-at-death and several subadult cranial fragments. At least three adults are represented in burial 09-04 by cranial remains. Male sex could be determined in the cranium labeled #18 in the image based on the rugosity of its external occipital protuberance. A left pelvis with a narrow greater sciatic notch corroborates the presence of at least one male. This pelvis pertains to a middle adult based on auricular surface morphology; taphonomic destruction precludes a more precise age estimate. The head of the left femur found in articulation with this pelvis measures 47.04 mm in diameter, clearly of male size (Wrobel et al. 2002). This left pelvis and femur were found below the adult femur labeled 12 in the image.

The grave goods in burials 09-04 and 09-05 are among the richest for any burial found thus far at Mayapan (See image, see also Figure 5.15 in the volume associated with this dataset, Masson et al. 2014: Figures 5.31, 5.33). Most were concentrated in the northeastern corner of the cist and include an anklet/bracelet of alternating copper bells and shell beads, a large, hollow, seated ceramic urn, a miniature olla and tripod bowl, copper tweezers, a copper ring, copper sheets, and two intact deer vertebrae found directly beneath these copper sheets, among other items. Grave goods found in other parts of the cist include a zoomorphic copper bell that was below an adult left ulna, an intact deer antler, and three small ceramic figurine heads. Several adult bones found below the copper sheets were stained green, including the right first metacarpal, left patella, left fifth metatarsal, right fourth metatarsal and proximal phalanx of the big toe. The proximal third of the left radius labeled #13 in the image was stained green, possibly from its proximity to the zoomorphic copper bell. Several subadult bones of the extremities in burial 09-05 were also stained green from contact with copper.

Considerable commingling was present in burials 09-04 and 09-05. However, these may have originally been primary burials that were subsequently disturbed when additional bodies were interred. Several groups of bones preserve anatomical position, such as the three thoracic vertebrae labeled #7 in the image, the adult left radius and ulna labeled #13 in the image and the left pelvis and femur of a middle adult male described above. The northeastern corner of the cist consists mainly of subadult remains whereas the remainder of the cist consists mainly of adult remains. The interment of burial 09-03 seems to have resulted in considerable disturbance. In the area directly beneath burial 09-03, looser, lighter fill was present, consisting of many small to medium-sized rocks. This stony deposit was distinct from that in the remainder of the layer containing burials 09-04 and 09-05 and this fill does not reach down to the floor of burials 09-04 and 09-05. This matrix is probably related to the interment of burial 09-03.