A re-assessment of Basketmaker II cave 7: massacre site or cemetery context

► 96 Basketmaker II burials from Cave 7, SE Utah, were AMS dated. ► The dates indicate that burials did not result from a single-event massacre as previously thought. ► Nearly 80% of Cave 7 burials show no evidence for perimortem trauma. ► Rather that a single violent event, male/male violence was episodic among Basketmaker II groups likely initiated by competitive interaction and resource stress.