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New interpretations of human dietary patterns for the inhabitants of southern Lake Titicaca, Bolivia using bulk and compound-specific amino acid stable isotope data (1500 BCE – 1100 CE)
Lecture: ARF Brownbag | September 8 | 12:10-1 p.m. | Virtual event
Speakers: Melanie J. Miller; Christine A. Hastorf
Sponsor: Archaeological Research Facility
This virtual event is open to the public. View the lecture and ask questions on our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/arf-channel
Decades of archaeological research on the Taraco Peninsula (Lake Titicaca, Bolivia) have provided detailed data sets indicating dynamic subsistence practices including farming, herding, and fishing. Stable isotope analysis of human skeletal tissues has focused on bulk isotope data (primarily bone collagen C and N isotope data) to track general dietary habits. Compound-specific amino acid stable isotope analysis provides a further level of detail, allowing identification of foods from freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments. Using a multi-isotope approach, we analysed human teeth (enamel and dentin) for bulk carbon and nitrogen isotope data and compound-specific amino acid carbon isotope data. The d13C values of Taraco Peninsula peoples rise over time, driven by increased consumption of maize, not lake fish. Additionally, terrestrial foods such as quinoa and camelids were the primary dietary protein sources, with less consumption of lake fish than anticipated. This research demonstrates the importance of using multiple isotope data sets to reach more nuanced understandings of dietary practices in human history.
Speakers: Melanie J. Miller and Christine Hastorf, with collaborators Maria Bruno, José Capriles, Iain Kendall, Richard Evershed