Insects, mummies and funerary practices: contribution of archaeoentomology, paleoparasitology and 3D imaging to the study of pre-Hispanic mummies of the central coast of Peru

This research mission in the Bioarchaeology Imaging Laboratory in the Department of Anthropology at Western University, under the direction of Andrew Nelson will be of unprecedented relevance for the thesis I am undertaking: Insects, mummies and funerary practices: contribution of archaeoentomology, paleoparasitology and 3D imaging to the study of pre-Hispanic mummies of the central coast of Peru. Archaeoentomology is the study of insect assemblages, mainly synanthropic, recovered from archaeological contexts. When insect remains are recovered from funerary contexts, their analysis is carried out using the principles and methods of forensic entomology. The application of these data in archaeological contexts provides precise information on the history of the corpse, its taphonomy, but also on the funerary practices of ancient societies. One of the key axes of this work is the development of a 3D protocol allowing a non-invasive archaeoentomological study of the mummy bundles. The use of computed tomography and sophisticated image processing to detect insect remains inside mummy bundles is a promising tool for archaeoentomology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Andrew NELSON

Student:

Partner:

Université de Bordeaux

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Life Sciences (not health); Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Other

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program: