Infants from the Tarapaca 40 cemetery (Northern Chile, Formative Period, 1000 BC-AD 600)

This study explores the age at death structure, skeletal lesions, and artificial cranial modification (ACM) on 35 nonadults until their 38 months of life recovered from the Tarapaca 40 cemetery, Northern Chile. Age estimations were based primarily on long bones dimensions, whereas skeletal lesions and ACM were recognized on dry bones and in mummified and bundled bodies. Measurements and observations in these later were performed by radiographies. Results show a distribution of ages at death clustered in three groups: around birth and second month of life, between 9 and 12 months of life, and between 18 and 26 months of life. The presence of physiological disruption indicators such as porotic hyperostosis, cribra orbitalia, criba femoris, periostitis and Harris lines, and ACM is described. Then, we discussed the observed age at death structure and the skeletal lesions as reflecting weaning process, and the links between the nature and timing of this practice with social organization of care labour, control over female sexuality, and socio-economic transformations occurring during the Formative Period in Northern Chile.