“A ground-breaking study that provides one of the best case studies we have in the bioarchaeology of violence. A must-read for anyone interested in the origin and evolution of aggression and violence in human societies.”—Debra L. Martin, University of Nevada
“In this exciting new work, Dr. Tung provides the first comprehensive view of life and the bodies inside ancient Peru’s Wari Empire. Situating the study of archaeological human remains where bioarchaeology and contemporary archaeology intersect, Tung focuses on the lived experience of Wari inhabitants to explore the creation of bioarchaeological narratives, the ways that bodies become material culture, and the influence of imperial control.”—Christina Torres-Rouff, Colorado College
The Wari Empire was one of the first civilizations in the New World that expanded dramatically due to economic and military might. This study of human skeletons reveals the biological and social impact of Wari imperialism on communities, particularly in terms of age/sex structure, mortuary treatment, use of violence, and ritual processes associated with power and bodies.
Tiffiny A. Tung is associate professor of anthropology at Vanderbilt University.
