PofoliaShared via Pofolia

Antiquity· 2026Q1

Buried in the pantry: using archaeoentomology to assess cave reuse at the pre-Hispanic site of Cruz de la Esquina

Pedro Henríquez-Valido, Jean‐Bernard Huchet, Jacob Morales, Amelia Rodríguez-Rodríguez

Short summary

Insect remains from the Cruz de la Esquina cave reveal a shift from storage use to burial site, with evidence suggesting immediate body deposition after death.

AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.

Abstract

Entomology, the study of insects, is an integral part of modern forensic science and can also make substantial contributions in archaeology. Here, the authors report on archaeoentomological analyses conducted within the Cruz de la Esquina funerary cave (Acusa Seca, Gran Canaria, c . seventh–ninth centuries AD), offering insights into Indigenous practices. The identification of storage pests and various cadaveric species is used to interpret a change in function for the cave, transitioning from an earlier storage area to a burial site, and to suggest that bodies were deposited in the cave immediately after death, challenging previous assumptions about prolonged exposure.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Antiquity, 2026 · DOI ↗

TakeawaysIn the app
Key pointsIn the app
Ask the paperIn the app

The rest is in the Pofolia app

Takeaways, key points and questions to the paper; new summaries every day for your field. Free.

Sign in on the web to open

Field: Archeology (Arts and Humanities)

ArcheologyArts and Humanities