Los perros como indicador estacional en los enterramientos humanos prehispánicos. Un caso de estudio en el valle de Zapotitlán, Puebla

Abstract

The relationship between humans and dogs has been observed since prehistorical times. In the Pre-Classical societies of Mesoamerica, dogs appeared to be present in human burials either as companionship or as offerings (Merino and García 1997). The study of the fauna at archeological sites has demonstrated its usefulness to obtain information related to those events in which they were involved. Regarding to dogs, given the fact that their reproductive cycle is relatively stable it has been observed with animal samples less than a year old, that is possible to establish a “dating system”, as these animals present two reproductive periods in a year (from February to March and from August to September), with two breeding periods (from May to July and from November to January) (Blanco et al.). This date system was applied in the osseous material coming from a Pre-Classical site in the Zapotitlan Valley in the state of Puebla, and made it possible to determine the burial date (period of the year) for the human bone remains according to the studied canines’ estimated aged.