Body counts in lowland South American violence

Violence was likely often a strong selective pressure in many traditional lowland South American societies. A compilation of 11 anthropological studies reporting cause of death shows that violence led to about 30% of adult deaths, of which about 70% were males. Here violent deaths are further itemized at the level of ethnographically-reported death events (particular duels, homicides, and raids) to provide more detailed insight into the causes...