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Even the rock art from Uraca depicts human trophy heads!

This scene is from Toro Muerto, one of the largest rock art sites in the world. It shows a feline creature with a human trophy head dangling from its mouth. The "trophy taster" theme appears in ceramic and textile decorations of coastal Peruvian cultures, and finding the theme repeated here shows that the Uraca community shared these religious themes and ideas. Feline imagery is common throughout prehistoric art of the Americas, and it is often associated with power, warfare, and death.


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About This Project

Human trophy taking was common in Southern Peru around 500-800 AD, but was it caused by environmental stress or the rise of the militaristic Wari Empire? Did Wari attack communities in Arequipa (S. Peru), or did Wari influence reach the area through trade? Sr and Pb isotope analysis will allow us to determine whether trophy victims from Uraca were locals or foreigners answering whether Wari was in the region, and who Uraca’s enemies were- local neighbors, Wari conquerors, or other tribes from afar?

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