The attributes of identity. The case of Tamtoc, San Luis Potosí, Mexico

Abstract

The study of embodiment provides the theoretical elements to understand how humans through his body manifest their culture or rather how culture manifests itself in the body of the subject under study. From this methodological approach, this proposal is developed, which implies giving a new perspective to the study of body modifications in ancient societies, as signs of etnicity, identity, ideology and rituality. This proposal was applied to the osteological sample from the archaeological site of Tamtoc, San Luis Potos., identifying the possible origin of some of the individuals represented in the osteological serie and identifying the present body modifications as attributes of their identity as a social group.