UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Sex and gender are complex components of both individual and group identities, and examining them together with other aspects of identity is an important part of understanding larger social contexts. Historically, studies of sex and gender in society focused more on male roles and contributions, but recent research has become more inclusive and diverse in the examination of both female and nonconforming gender roles. This study examines the intersectionality of social roles, sex, and gender as expressed through funerary objects in the burial contexts of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Using existing records of burials in two cemeteries, Coyo Oriental and Solcor 3, this project compares 184 sampled graves to determine similarities and differences in burials for male and female individuals. Results show that some burials may reflect gendered practices, though the degree to which these practices are associated with sex differs between the two cemeteries, suggesting that regional culture plays a role in the social construction and expression of gender.