Telling friends from foes: Strontium isotope and trace element analysis of companion burials from Pusilha, Toledo District, Belize

In Maya bioarchaeology, distinguishing the remains of revered ancestors from sacrificial victims often proves difficult due to the frequently poor bone preservation and the similarities of their archaeological contexts. Strontium isotope and trace element analysis are here applied to a population (n=16) of elite Maya from the Late and Terminal Classic Period (600-850 AD) site of Pusilha, Toledo District, Belize. Three multiple burials in particular were investigated to determine whether the companion figures were sacrificed enemies or were the curated remains of revered ancestors. The strontium and trace element data find no significant differences between any the principal and companion figures, suggesting that they were not sacrificed enemies or foreigners. One burial pair, however, exhibited nonlocal signals in both individuals.