Antiquity· 2026Q1
Buried in the pantry: using archaeoentomology to assess cave reuse at the pre-Hispanic site of Cruz de la Esquina
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
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.
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Key points
- Insect analysis identified storage pests and cadaveric species in the Cruz de la Esquina cave.
- The insect assemblage indicates a functional shift from a storage area to a burial site.
- Evidence suggests immediate deposition of bodies in the cave after death.
- This challenges previous assumptions about prolonged exposure of bodies before burial.
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 ↗
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Field: Archeology (Arts and Humanities)
ArcheologyArts and Humanities