Mortuary practices and human burials have been studied by archaeologists from various points of view. However, there are few studies of bones that have been fragmented and discovered out of burial contexts. As we all know, many processes, include physical and animal-related factors, can alter the appearance and context of archaeological evidences. For burials without coffins or other protection, the influence of such processes can be extreme.
In this article, scattered human remains excavated from the Li-tzu-wei site, investigated by the first author, were examined. Although there are evidences of violence and heat damage on these remains, cannibalism of the Li-tzu-wei people can basically be ruled out based on the thermal alternation patterns on the bone. Moreover, spatial context and taphonomical analysis of the scattered human remains suggest that animal-related factors and natural processes such as rodent activity and fluvial movement also influenced the appearance and location of the remains.
Li-tzu-wei site, scattered human remains, taphonomical process
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