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TRENDS IN FOOD CONSUMPTION IN THE PRE-HISPANIC SOCIETIES OF QUEBRADA DE HUMAHUACA (JUJUY, ARGENTINA)

TENDENCIAS EN EL CONSUMO DE ALIMENTOS EN LAS SOCIEDADES PREHISPÁNICAS DE QUEBRADA DE HUMAHUACA (JUJUY, ARGENTINA)

Violeta A. Killian Galván, Verónica Seldes, Clarisa Otero, M. Clara Rivolta and Axel E. Nielsen

The aim of this paper is to present the carbon (δ13C and δ13C ) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic compositions of the collagen apatite human bone record of 19 individuals found in archaeological sites of Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina), associated with occupations between the Late Formative (ca. 500-900 AD), the Regional Development Period (900 - 1430 AD) and the Inca Period (ca. 1430 AD - 1536 AD). Previously published, results were also considered, allowing for a total of 41 individuals analyzed for the study area. The characterization of these societies by paleodietary reconstruction is discussed considering models of social and productive organization proposed for the region. A Bayesian mixing model was used for data analysis, integrating isotopic values of modern plants from Quebrada de Humahuaca and camelidae fauna specimens from the phytogeographic provinces of Puna and Prepuna of Jujuy. Our results indicate that diet composition did not vary considerably over time, with maize (and/or amaranth) being the predominant resource since the time of consolidation of the agro-pastoral economies.

Tags: paleodiet, Bioarchaeology, stable isotopes, social change

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