Polydactyly in the Prehistoric Southwest

Recorded instances of human figures, hands and feet with extra digits occur in rock art in the Southwest, either as six fingers or six toes. This has raised the question of whether or not this was a deliberate exaggeration by the artists or actual representation of polydactyly. Recent findings in sk...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Kiva (Tucson, Ariz.) Ariz.), 1994-07, Vol.59 (4), p.419-431
Main Author: Barnes, Ethne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archaeological excavation
Archaeological sites
Canyons
Environmental archaeology
Foot bones
Pallister Hall syndrome
Phalanges
Polydactyly
Rock art
Toes
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Summary:Recorded instances of human figures, hands and feet with extra digits occur in rock art in the Southwest, either as six fingers or six toes. This has raised the question of whether or not this was a deliberate exaggeration by the artists or actual representation of polydactyly. Recent findings in skeletal material from Pueblo Bonito and Sand Canyon confirm that polydactyly did exist among the Anasazi of the prehistoric Southwest, and findings from Las Humanas at Gran Quivira show that polydactyly was also present in the early historic period. /// En el arte rupestre del Suroeste se han registrado ejemplos de figuras humanas con extra dedos en manos y pies, existen tanto con seis dedos de las manos como con seis dedos de los pies. Esto ha suscitado la pregunta de si fue o no una deliberada exageración de los artistas o si es una real representación de polidactilia. Descubrimientos recientes en el material oseo de Pueblo Bonito y Sand Canyon confirman que la polidactilia existió entre los Anasazi del Suroeste prehispánico, además descubrimientos en Las Humanas en Gran Quivira muestran que la polidactilia también estuvo presente durante el periódo histórico temprano.
ISSN:0023-1940