Dismembering Bodies for Display: A Bioarchaeological Study of Trophy Heads from the Wari Site of Conchopata, Peru Tiffiny A. Tung Department of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235 KEY WORDS Ritual; Andes; Huari; Body Mutilation; Violence ABSTRACT Human trophy heads from the Wari site of Conchopata (AD 600–1000) are examined to evaluate if recently deceased persons or old corpses were used to make trophy heads and determine if the modifications are standardized. Similarly styled trophy heads may suggest state oversight that ensured uniform modifications, while different styles may suggest that various factions or kin groups prepared them to their own specifications. Other studies often interpret trophy heads as either enemies or ancestors; so, this study addresses that debate by docu- menting aspects of their identity as revealed through de- mographic, paleopathological, and trauma data. Results show that ‘‘fresh’’ bodies, not old corpses, were used to make trophies, as evidenced by cutmarks indicating inten- tional removal of soft tissues. Trophy heads are remarkably standardized; 89% display a hole on the superior of the cra- nium, apparently a design feature that displays the trophy head upright and facing forward when suspended by a cord. Of the 31 trophy heads, 24 are adolescents/adults and 7 are children, and of the 17 sexed adults, 15 are male and 2 are female. This suggests that adult men and children were favored as trophies. Among 19 observable adult tro- phy heads, 42% exhibit cranial trauma, suggesting that vi- olence was common among this group. Complementary data on Wari iconography shows warriors wearing trophy heads and Wari deities holding captives and trophy heads. Thus, it is likely that captives (or just their heads) were taken in battles and raids—either secular or ritual—and eventually transformed into trophy heads. Am J Phys Anthropol 136:294–308, 2008. V V C 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Isolated human heads and trophy heads have been recovered from various prehispanic sites in the Andes, affiliated with cultural groups such as Chavin, Moche, Nasca, Tiwanaku, and Inka. Among the Wari (AD 600– 1000), however, only iconography hinted at the possibility of head taking and trophy head display (Cook, 2001), but with recent analysis of isolated human skulls from the Wari site of Conchopata in Ayacucho, Peru, it is now clear that this prehispanic empire also engaged in these prac- tices. These 31 trophy heads are the first and, to date, only to be directly associated with the Wari empire. 1 To gain insights into what these human trophy heads may have represented in Wari society, this article describes anthropogenic alterations to the skulls, docu- menting modifications such as drilled holes, cutmarks, and chopmarks. The osteological modifications are also examined to evaluate the level of standardization in terms of how the trophy heads were prepared and dis- played. Were they created by various factions or kin groups, each with their own ideas and methods regard- ing how trophy heads should be processed and dis- played? Or was there a special class of individuals tasked with processing the bodies in a uniform manner, resulting in similarly styled trophy heads for use in spe- cific rituals? Detailed osteological analysis of the trophy heads can aid in addressing these questions, particularly if those data are evaluated in tandem with iconographic and archaeological evidence. If the trophy heads are modified in different ways and appear in different contexts, then it may be suggested that separate factions or kin groups were authoring the various styles and uses of the trophy heads. If, in contrast, the trophy heads are similarly modified and appear in similar contexts, particularly in comparison to Nasca trophy heads from south-central Peru, then it may be suggested that their preparation and ritual use were monitored to ensure particular standards and perhaps control the message that the heads were meant to convey. Commonly, debates about trophy heads focus on their identity as either venerated ancestors or vanquished enemies, though other identities, such as executed crimi- nals, social outcasts, or venerated sacrificial victims, should be considered as well. In an attempt to recon- 1 There are two other known trophy heads that may be associated with the Wari culture, but they come from the hinterland—one in the Majes Valley (Tung, 2003) and the other from the Department of Cusco (Andrushko and Bellifemine, 2006; Tesar and Rao, 2007). Grant sponsor: National Science Foundation; Grant number: BCS-0118751; Grant sponsor: Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthro- pological Research; Grant number: 6680; Grant sponsors: Fulbright IIE Fellowship, Sigma Xi Grants in Aid of Research, University of North Carolina-Latane ´ Summer Research Grant. *Correspondence to: Tiffiny A. Tung, Department of Anthropology, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B #356050, Nashville, TN 37235, USA. E-mail: t.tung@vanderbilt.edu Received 5 September 2007; accepted 28 December 2007 DOI 10.1002/ajpa.20812 Published online 6 March 2008 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). V V C 2008 WILEY-LISS, INC. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 136:294–308 (2008)