Ancient genomes reveal insights into ritual life at Chichén Itzá.

The ancient city of Chichén Itzá in Yucatán, Mexico, was one of the largest and most influential Maya settlements during the Late and Terminal Classic periods (AD 600-1000) and it remains one of the most intensively studied archaeological sites in Mesoamerica1-4. However, many questions about the social and cultural use of its ceremonial spaces, as well as its population's genetic ties to other Mesoamerican groups, remain unanswered2. Here we present genome-wide data obtained from 64 subadult individuals dating to around AD 500-900 that were found in a subterranean mass burial near the Sacred Cenote (sinkhole) in the ceremonial centre of Chichén Itzá. Genetic analyses showed that all analysed individuals were male and several individuals were closely related, including two pairs of monozygotic twins. Twins feature prominently in Mayan and broader Mesoamerican mythology, where they embody qualities of duality among deities and heroes5, but until now they had not been identified in ancient Mayan mortuary contexts. Genetic comparison to present-day people in the region shows genetic continuity with the ancient inhabitants of Chichén Itzá, except at certain genetic loci related to human immunity, including the human leukocyte antigen complex, suggesting signals of adaptation due to infectious diseases introduced to the region during the colonial period.

Sixteen facial expressions occur in similar contexts worldwide.

Understanding the degree to which human facial expressions co-vary with specific social contexts across cultures is central to the theory that emotions enable adaptive responses to important challenges and opportunities1-6. Concrete evidence linking social context to specific facial expressions is sparse and is largely based on survey-based approaches, which are often constrained by language and small sample sizes7-13. Here, by applying machine-learning methods to real-world, dynamic behaviour, we ascertain whether naturalistic social contexts (for example, weddings or sporting competitions) are associated with specific facial expressions14 across different cultures. In two experiments using deep neural networks, we examined the extent to which 16 types of facial expression occurred systematically in thousands of contexts in 6 million videos from 144 countries. We found that each kind of facial expression had distinct associations with a set of contexts that were 70% preserved across 12 world regions. Consistent with these associations, regions varied in how frequently different facial expressions were produced as a function of which contexts were most salient. Our results reveal fine-grained patterns in human facial expressions that are preserved across the modern world.

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

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.

Children's distinct drive to reproduce costly rituals.

Costly rituals are ubiquitous and adaptive. Yet, little is known about how children develop to acquire them. The current study examined children's imitation of costly rituals. Ninety-three 4-6 year olds (47 girls, 45% Oceanians, tested in 2022) were shown how to place tokens into a tube to earn stickers, using either a ritualistic or non-ritualistic costly action sequence. Children shown the ritualistic actions imitated faithfully at the expense of gaining stickers; conversely, those shown the non-ritualistic actions ignored them and obtained maximum reward. This highlights how preschool children are adept at and motivated to learn rituals, despite significant material cost. This study provides insights into the early development of cultural learning and the adaptive value of rituals in group cognition.

The ritualisation of the surgical safety checklist and its decoupling from patient safety goals.

Patient harm, patient safety and their governance have been ongoing concerns for policymakers, care providers and the public. In response to high rates of adverse events/medical errors, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advocated the use of surgical safety checklists (SSC) to improve safety in surgical care. Canadian health authorities subsequently made SSC use a mandatory organisational practice, with public reporting of safety indicators for compliance tied to pre-existing legislation and to reimbursements for surgical procedures. Perceived as the antidote for socio-technical issues in operating rooms (ORs), much of the SSC-related research has focused on assessing clinical and economic effectiveness, worker perceptions, attitudes and barriers to implementation. Suboptimal outcomes are attributed to implementations that ignored contexts. Using ethnographic data from a study of SSC at an urban teaching hospital (C&C), a critical lens and the concepts of ritual and ceremony, we examine how it is used, and theorise the nature and implications of that use. Two rituals, one improvised and one scripted, comprised C&C's SSC ceremony. Improvised performances produced dislocations that were ameliorated by scripted verification practices. This ceremony produced causally opaque links to patient safety goals and reproduced OR/medical culture. We discuss the theoretical contributions of the study and the implications for patient safety.

Gendered mourning: A perspective of Akan death culture in Ghana.

Death is the commonest, incomprehensible, and inescapable reality confronting humanity in all nations and cultures. However, cultures vary in their conceptions of death, grieving and mourning rituals. Among the Akan of Ghana, mourning and funeral obsequies are essential cultural and spiritual practices. In this article, we draw insights from our reflective lived experiences and critical literature review to explore mourning and death rituals among the Akan as a stratified cultural system that reflects and reproduces broader gender patterns of masculinity and femininity in Ghana. We discuss the concept and cultural significance of mourning and bereavement practices, and further examine how socio-cultural notions of gender shape mourning and death rituals in Ghana. We argue that, as in many social and economic spaces in Ghana, funeral obsequies and bereavement practices represent sites for enacting and reproducing masculinity and femininity. The deleterious health and psychological consequences for men and women are further discussed.

Honoring the moment of death: Lived experiences, practices, and rituals of internal medicine residents.

Given the limited information on physicians' practices at the time of pronouncing a patient's death, this study aimed to learn about the prevalence and purpose of internal medicine residents' practices, the obstacles to performing them and how they can be overcome. Responses to a questionnaire were analyzed using logistic regression, to compare respondents who did and did not have a ritual. Twenty-one interview transcripts were thematically analyzed. A total of 151 physicians responded to the questionnaire; 35 (22.3%) reported performing a private ritual at the time of patient death. Religious participants were 2.97 times more likely {CI: 1.18-7.41} to perform a ritual following a patient's death. Three main themes were found, indicating residents' need to pause and perform a practice to honor the patient, express their humanity, and cope with the overflow of emotions. Senior staff should support opportunities for residents to honor the moment of death.

Hand Washing: When Ritual Behavior Protects! Covid-19 Experience in Children and Adolescents with (and without) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

No abstract present.

Gowâti Music Therapy: An Ancient Healing Tradition in Taftan, Baluchestan.

This research delves into the ancient healing tradition of Gowâti music therapy in Taftan, Baluchestan, with a focus on the cultural beliefs and practices surrounding the Gowâti ceremony. The manuscript also highlights the historical connection between music and spirituality, tracing the roots of music therapy back to ancient Iran. The study is based on a combination of interviews, active participation in the Gowâti ceremony, and consultation with experts. However, access to the private ceremony was restricted, leading to certain limitations in data collection. The findings of this study rely heavily on anecdotal accounts passed down through generations among the residents of the region, as well as information gathered from interviews with the caliph (performer) of music therapy in the area. The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of music and its use as a therapeutic tool, with a specific focus on the unique characteristics of Gowâti music therapy. The findings suggest that this form of music therapy is deeply rooted in religious beliefs, mystical ideologies, and sacrificial rituals.

Localization of ictal Islamic rituals: Study of epilepsy center in Makkah.

BACKGROUND: Ictal semiology is important to aid the diagnosis of seizure type. Patients frequently require admission to an epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) to reach a correct diagnosis of epilepsy type. Some patients may exhibit unusual ictal phenomena that can lead to the diagnosis of psychogenic seizures. Unusual ictal phenomena include ictal kissing, praying, and drinking. Ictal religious speech and praying are other examples of unusual ictal phenomena. This study aims to assess the localization value of ictal Islamic rituals. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients admitted to the EMU at King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah between 2017 and 2021. Patients with ictal Islamic rituals were included in the study. RESULTS: Nine out of the 279 cases admitted to the EMU have different ictal Islamic rituals. Some patients exhibited multiple Islamic rituals during their seizures. Six patients performed Islamic religious speech, including asking Allah to help, asking for forgiveness, and making basmala (in the name of Allah). Three patients exhibited self-immunization patterns (tahseen). Three patients repeatedly raised their right index fingers (shahada movements). All nine patients had seizures originating from the right temporal lobe. CONCLUSIONS: Islamic rituals are rare ictal phenomena localized to the right temporal lobe.

Energy expenditure and intensity of ritual jumping-dancing in male Maasai.

OBJECTIVES: Traditional jumping-dance rituals performed by Maasai men involve prolonged physical exertion that may contribute significantly to overall physical activity level. We aimed to objectively quantify the metabolic intensity of jumping-dance activity and assess associations with habitual physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). METHODS: Twenty Maasai men (18-37 years) from rural Tanzania volunteered to participate in the study. Habitual physical activity was monitored using combined heart rate (HR) and movement sensing over 3 days, and jumping-dance engagement was self-reported. A 1-h jumping-dance session resembling a traditional ritual was organized, during which participants' vertical acceleration and HR were monitored. An incremental, submaximal 8-min step test was performed to calibrate HR to physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and assess CRF. RESULTS: Mean (range) habitual PAEE was 60 (37-116) kJ day-1 kg-1 , and CRF was 43 (32-54) mL O2 min-1 kg-1 . The jumping-dance activity was performed at an absolute HR of 122 (83-169) beats·min-1 , and PAEE of 283 (84-484) J min-1 kg-1 or 42 (18-75)% when expressed relative to CRF. The total PAEE for the session was 17 (range 5-29) kJ kg-1 , ~28% of the daily total. Self-reported engagement in habitual jumping-dance frequency was 3.8 (1-7) sessions/week, with a total duration of 2.1 (0.5-6.0) h/session. CONCLUSIONS: Intensity during traditional jumping-dance activity was moderate, but on average sevenfold higher than habitual physical activity. These rituals are common, and can make a substantial contribution to overall physical activity in Maasai men, and thus be promoted as a culture-specific activity to increase energy expenditure and maintain good health in this population.

Fighting female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C): towards the endgame and beyond.

Despite the criminalization of the practice by numerous laws and international treaties in most countries concerned, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), although on the decline overall, is stagnating or tending to increase in some parts Africa. This relative failure in the fight against FGM/C could be explained from an institutional perspective. Although these struggles affect the regulatory mechanisms, which include laws, they hardly touch the normative mechanisms, which constitute the set of values deemed socially acceptable by a society, and the cultural and cognitive mechanisms, which are the manifestations of the ideologies or beliefs of a group. The naming of FGM/C among certain ethnic groups, which is part of the normative character of the social institution, rather valorizes them and makes uncut girls/women feel "dirty" or "unfit". In these communities, women who have undergone FGM/C are viewed by society as women of honour while uncut girls are perceived as promiscuous and victims of mockery, rejection, or exclusion by the community. In addition, since excision ceremonies and rituals are exclusively reserved for women, many see them as a way of freeing themselves from the rules of patriarchy and male domination that are omnipresent in the societies concerned. Informal mechanisms such as the use of witchcraft, gossip, and beliefs related to the supernatural power of the excisors underpin the cultural-cognitive nature of FGM/C practice. As a result, many families are reluctant to challenge the cutters. The fight against FGM/C can be more effective by addressing the normative and cultural-cognitive roots that form the basis for its perpetuation. This can be achieved by avoiding moralizing the practice, involving those who resist the practice in a context of high prevalence, known as "positive deviants," and using productive methods from the societies concerned. This will create a social environment in which FGM/C is increasingly perceived as less favourable and will ultimately allow for a gradual reform of the normative and cultural-cognitive character of societies that practice FGM/C. Education of women and social mobilisation are critical tools which can act as powerful levers in shifting attitudes about FGM/C.

Do initiation rites hasten sexual debut among adolescent girls? A longitudinal analysis from Ghana.

Many Ghanaians identify their country's most enduring female initiation rite as a risk factor for early sexual debut, claiming that initiates interpret the rite as a normative starting point for sexual activity as was standard in the past. However, the assumption that African initiation rites may hasten sexual debut has not been statistically substantiated. This study explores this association using three waves of longitudinal data collected between 2010 to 2013 from 690 girls and young women aged 12-19, about half of whom had participated in the rite. The results suggest that initiates typically participate in the rite at age 11 and begin having sex around age 16, about six months earlier than non-initiates. Results from survival analyses correspondingly indicate that initiates are 50% more likely to report sexual debut than their non-initiated counterparts. This relationship remains robust when accounting for confounding variables and reverse causality and is not moderated by socioeconomic status. Findings suggest that initiation rites should be understood as having potentially meaningful implications for adolescent sexual debut and sexual and reproductive health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Capitalising on initiation rites for their role in sexual socialisation may be a valuable opportunity to promote sexual and reproductive health among youth.

Symbols and rituals are alive and well in clinical practice in Australia: Perspectives from a longitudinal qualitative professional identity study.

PURPOSE: Many factors impact an individual's professional identity on their journey to becoming a doctor, including their experiences, the learning environment, role models, and symbols and rituals. Rituals and symbols associated with the medical profession have historically included wearing a white coat (now rare) and the stethoscope. This study explored two medical students' perspectives of symbolic identifiers in a six-year longitudinal study in Australia (2012-2017). METHODOLOGY: A 2012 qualitative cross-sectional qualitative professional identity study in an Australian five-year undergraduate medical programme was extended to a longitudinal study with annual interviews. A conversation about the symbolism of the stethoscope and other identifiers began in Year 1 and concluded when the students were junior doctors. FINDINGS: Symbols and rituals remain part of the 'becoming' and 'being' a doctor. In the context of Australian hospitals, the stethoscope appears to no longer be exclusively associated with the medical profession, with 'professional attire' distinguishing medical students and doctors from other team members (uniform). The study identified lanyard colour and design as a symbol and language as a ritual. CONCLUSIONS: Although symbols and rituals may change over time and across cultural contexts, some forms of treasured material possessions and rituals will persist in medical practice.[Box: see text].

The family meal, a ritual frozen in time; an Australian grounded theory study.

Family meals are recognized as an opportunity to promote the health of families. Popular discourse posits that changes to contemporary family life have made family meals harder to achieve and promotion of the 'traditional' family meal may be adding pressures to contemporary families. While research has been conducted on family meals over the last three decades, there is no explicit investigation of the experiences and practices of family meals over this time. Understanding the evolution of family meal practices across time is important for developing achievable expectations in relation to this ritual. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a diverse population of South Australian parents in the 1990s (n = 32) and with a separate population of parents in 2020 (n = 22) to gather their experiences of family meal practices. A comparative analysis, informed by grounded theory, was undertaken to identify similarities and differences in experiences across these two time periods. The results indicated stability in many family meal experiences across time, particularly in their value and significance in family life. Negotiations balancing time, cost, food preferences and responsibility persisted. The stability of family meal values and practices is important to consider when making recommendations, designing interventions and creating services targeting the family meal.

Eternal life as privilege: Cultural boundaries and social stratification in death announcements (1950-2010).

Behind a veneer of "disinterested" concern, death rituals reflect and reproduce patterns of social and cultural stratification. This paper examines 296,483 death announcements published in a Turkish daily newspaper in a 60-year timespan. The content analysis of the texts shows that, first, the discourses around death reveal the complex overlaps between cultural boundaries and social stratification. Second, the patterns of social and cultural stratification in death announcements interweave with broad historical trends, making it possible to "read" societies through the lens of death. These historical trends map onto foundational issues, such as the gender gap, neoliberal transformations, modernization, and religiosity.

Experiences of Black South African widows regarding mourning rituals following the death of their spouses: Upholding cultural practices or violating human rights?

Within South African cultures, bereavement rituals are intended to promote healing on the part of the widow and demonstrate respect for the deceased. We explored the experiences of 10 Black South African widows regarding cultural mourning rituals and whether they were perceived to violate human rights or were necessary cultural practices. Findings from telephone interviews revealed that the widows experienced restrictions on movement, certain activities, mode of dress, and seating arrangements; used separate utensils; and engaged in cleansing rituals. While they were aware of their rights being violated, they felt that cultural practices needed to be respected to appease their ancestors.

Grief, mourning, and the body: Ritual attention to the death of victims of the dictatorship in Chile.

This study considers the way in which the recovery of the bodies of those who were detained and disappeared under the Pinochet dictatorship not only enables the social recognition of their deaths and the performance of death rituals hitherto obstructed, but also makes it possible to "attend to" their deaths in multiple dimensions. The research draws upon testimonies and records collected during fieldwork for an ongoing anthropological investigation. We observe the different practices that can be associated with the process of "dignification," including the physical demonstrations of affection made possible by the recovery of the bodies. We also illustrate how, for family members, the practices involved in "caring for" and "attending to" death may defy or test the limits of standardized processes imposed by professionals and preconceived ideas or practices relating to death.

The stories bones tell. Collaboration between forensic teams and victims' relatives in the interpretation and ritual accompaniment of human remains in Guatemala.

This article focuses on the collaborative practices between forensic experts and victims' relatives through the exhumation process in Guatemala. In a context where there is still no real recognition of the victims by the state, and no national common narrative about the violence of the armed conflict, exhumations have been developed in the framework of transitional justice, as a tool for victim recognition as well as historical clarification. In a post-political violence context, the exhumation process produces knowledge and narratives about the past, through the scientific analysis of human remains as material evidence, the collection of testimony, and shared stories. Based on extensive ethnographic work conducted with civil society actors involved in exhumations, this article focuses on the dynamics of production and coexistence of scientific and subjective forms of interpretation of the remains, as well as scientific and ceremonial practices of treatment of the remains. We will question how different regimes of truth coexist around the interpretation of the bones, and how forensics scientists and victims' relatives collaborate to produce them.

Disembodied ritual: An explorative study on the meanings of physical absence during funerals by bereaved in times of COVID-19.

Death is accompanied by rituals in every culture. It seems universal that we symbolically approach this life transition. This study focuses on experiences of bereaved who could not physically attend a funeral during COVID-19. Ten Dutch bereaved were interviewed. Disembodiment in terms of (1) not participating in ritual time and place, (2) experiencing live-stream funerals as lonely, and (3) feeling a disruption of one's grief, were revealed as main themes by thematic analysis. Without physical participation the respondents felt (partially) disconnected from the ritual and isolated from the community. The physical absence impacted ritual transformation and meaning making after a loss.