Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36399550›Full record

ArticleProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America2022

Earliest evidence of primate captivity and translocation supports gift diplomacy between Teotihuacan and the Maya.

Nawa Sugiyama, Saburo Sugiyama, Clarissa Cagnato, Christine A M France, Atsushi Iriki, Karissa S Hughes, Robin R Singleton, Erin Thornton, Courtney A Hofman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. An AztecAnthropological science : journal of the Anthropological Society of Nippon = Jinruigaku zasshi · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
  4. A sacrificed monkey at Teotihuacan and ancient imperial relationships in Mesoamerica.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2023
    Article
  5. Earliest evidence of primate captivity and translocation supports gift diplomacy between Teotihuacan and the Maya.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2022
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Nawa SugiyamaDepartment of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521.ORCID 0000-0002-5734-6462
Saburo SugiyamaSchool of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287.
Clarissa CagnatoUMR 8096 Archéologie des Amériques, Paris 75004, France.
Christine A M FranceSmithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, Suitland, MD 20746.ORCID 0000-0001-9133-9058
Atsushi IrikiLaboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN Institute, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-5262-163X
Karissa S HughesDepartment of Anthropology and Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019.ORCID 0000-0002-8224-7431
Robin R SingletonDepartment of Anthropology and Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019.ORCID 0000-0001-8564-5753
Erin ThorntonDepartment of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164.ORCID 0000-0003-0522-1294
Courtney A HofmanDepartment of Anthropology and Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019.ORCID 0000-0002-6808-3370

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A multimethod archaeometry study (zooarchaeological, isotopic, ancient DNA, paleobotanical, and radiocarbon dating) of a spider monkey sacrificed in the ceremonial center of Teotihuacan, Mexico (1 to 550 CE) is interpreted as a diplomatic gift exchange with neighboring Maya. Not only does this spider monkey provide the earliest known instance of primate translocation and captivity in Mesoamerica, it helps date incipient modes of interregional diplomacy between two major powers during Early Classic Mesoamerica: Teotihuacan and the Maya. Details of human-primate interaction include age at capture and transport (before ∼3 y of age), captive duration (over 2 y), anthropogenic diet (staple was maize, though secondary resources unique to anthropogenic diet including arrowroot and chili pepper were also found), context of sacrifice (tethered and associated with complete golden eagle and an array of other statecrafts), and general site context (including presence of Maya vessels and Maya-style murals). The timing of the spider monkey's sacrifice (250 to 300 CE) and its life history suggest a reconsideration of epigraphically attested militaristic involvement of Teotihuacan at certain Maya sites. We propose that a period of more multilateral and fluid ritual exchange with Maya dignitaries preceded the Teotihuacan state's eventual ascent to prominence.

Indexed as

AtelinaeDiplomacyAnimalsCeremonial BehaviorDNA, AncientHumansMexicoDNA, Ancientanimal translocationarchaeometrygift exchangeMesoamericaprimate captivity

Identifiers

PMID36399550
PMCPMC9704712

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.