Palaeodietary inferences based on isotopic data for pre-Hispanic populations of the Central Mountains of Argentina

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate spatial and temporal patterns of palaeodiet diversification through isotopic measurements (d13CCOL and d15N) from individuals who inhabited the Central Mountains of Argentina during the Holocene. Isotopic measurements were obtained from bone and tooth samples from ten human skeletons, corresponding to the Middle and Late Holocene (4500–300 14C BP). Isotopic results show the consumption of C3, C4 and CAM plants, which reflects a mixed diet. Variation observed among hunter-gatherer sites could be associated with differences in the availability of animal resources. On the other hand, evidence from agricultural sites could be indicating a more omnivorous diet, with greater emphasis on vegetable resources. Regarding spatial variation, the d13C results suggest modest regional differences in diet in the later periods of the regional sequence. This study provides a first step to evaluating the role played by maize agriculture and the dietary variability in time and space for populations that inhabited the Central Mountains during the Holocene. Although preliminary, the evidence suggests that adoption of agriculture was complementary to hunter-gatherer subsistence strategies. However, the incorporation of cultigens seems to show regional differences. These results confirm the mixed character of the economy, previously inferred from other archaeological indicators.