The number of burials recovered was disappointing in view of the previous summer’s find. In 1947 our efforts had been confined to digging a wide L-shaped trench peripheral to the central section of the site, from which six fully extended burials were removed, as well as a disturbed burial and reburial. Considering this a favorable sample, we anticipated the central region at least to be as productive. It proved, on the contrary, to be almost lacking in burials. The few interments we did expose came, again, from the peripheral sectors. This peripheral occurrence of burials suggests the possibility of marginal cemeteries rather than burial plots in the central living area, a feature often characteristic of later cultures.

More apparent from the field notes than in the course of excavation was the repeated occurrence of fragmented sets of long bones still in semiarticulated position. (See features 15d, 15c, 16, 17, 19, 20, 24, 27, 29, and 31.) The nonarticulated epiphesial extremities were generally lacking. In some instances sections of both femora and tibiae occurred in articulated position; in others, just a pair of tibiae or femora, or a single femur or tibia were left. Burial 1 (Treganza and Malamud, 1950, p. 134; pl. 15, a) constitutes a good example of the condition to which we just referred. Earlier, on the basis of merely this isolated example, we assumed it to be simply the remains of a disturbed extended burial. However, the frequent recurrence of the phenomenon this season suggests a distinct and intentional burial pattern. Often, the segmented long bones were encountered in conjunction with those features composed of a concentration of large unworked stone and metate fragments. Some problem exists as to what happened to the rest of the skeleton. At no time during excavation did we uncover scattered skull fragments or teeth, and fragmentary arm bones or other skeletal parts were rare. The bulk of the dissociated bone consisted of tibiae or femora. Until otherwise indicated, therefore, we are led to assume that the manifestation results from some form of sectional body disposal, though its ramifications remain unknown and precisely comparable situations are unreported in terms of a consistant pattern.

The data from the two seasons’ work thus demonstrate three methods for disposal of the dead: (1) primary inhumation in the flesh, the disposition of the corpse being extended, either prone or supine, with head oriented southerly; (2) reburial, involving only incomplete skeletal remains, primarily segments of long bones, and covered by a metate, which is generally inverted; (3) fractional burial, with interment of leg bones only. The latter is a tentative form, and should it in reality have existed we are unable to explain such a unique custom that would have involved body dissection. The nature of the finds, however, suggests burial of the dismembered lower extremities and not merely a reburial, hence probably representing a form of primary inhumation.

Table 1

Burials LAn-1