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Stable Isotope Analysis and Ancient Diets: They Are What They Ate R.H

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Stable Isotope Analysis and Ancient Diets: They Are What They Ate R.H Stable Isotope Analysis and Ancient Diets: They Are What They Ate R.H. Tykot, Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida. Email: [email protected] 72nd Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas Introduction Stable Isotope Studies of Human Diets Applications – Latin America Applications – Old World April 26, 2007 Stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope studies have become widely Isotope analyses to reconstruct human dietary patterns have now been going on for over thirty years (Vogel In the last fifteen years I have worked on a large number of In Europe, it was only in the Iron Age that a C4 plant, millet, was applied to studies of ancient subsistence patterns, providing complementary & van der Merwe 1977; see Tykot 2006). Laboratory-based and other isotope studies have specifically isotope projects, on all continents. Illustrated here are just some introduced from Africa, so studies on earlier periods have focused information to faunal, paleobotanical and other dietary indicators (Figure 1). determined that bone collagen (the organic portion, consisting of many different amino acids) is produced examples of studies done in Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Chile, entirely on the importance of seafood and other aquatic resources. In Magdalenska Gora Using small samples of bone, teeth, and/or hair for this inexpensive analysis, the mainly from dietary protein, while bone apatite (the mineral portion, consisting of calcium Argentina, Florida, Italy, and China. Most of these have been east Asia, another variety of millet was locally domesticated by the Arene Candide 15 study of many individuals has often revealed dietary differences based on age, hydroxyphosphate/carbonate) represents the whole diet (Ambrose & Norr 1993; Tieszen and Fagre 1993). published or are in press. beginning of the Neolithic. Catignano La Selvicciola Coppa Nevigata ANAS Figure 12. A number Ripa Tetta M. Saraceno Isola Sacra Massieria Candelaro Trinitapoli Rendina 12 sex, status, and other sociocultural factors; local ecology; seasonal variation; and Turnover rates for bone are slow, so that the isotope values obtained represent at least the last several years of Toppo Madonna di Grottole Baking Pot (LC) Daguzzo Malerba II Sant’Abbondio Tzamala Barton Ramie (EC) of projects done in Barton Ramie (LC) Neanderthals Menorca Chunchucmil 9 Cuello (Pre-C) 18 Britain (Upper Paleolithic) chronological change. Presented here is an overview of sampling and analysis an individual’s life. Tooth enamel and dentin, while composed of the same material as bone apatite and Lamanai (Pre-C) Theopetra Lamanai (EC) the Mediterranean Oronsay (Hebrides) Formentera Lamanai (LC/TC) Tharrounia Ya x una Grotta dell’Uzzo Lamanai (Post-C) Portugal (Mesolithic) 6 Lamanai (H) 15 Mycenae methods; examples of studies on maize in the New World, millet in the Old collagen, respectively, do not turn over, so their isotope values reflect the specific time period of their delta 15N (per mil) b 13 Portugal (Neolithic) Pacbitun (EC) also suggest that Kephala Preclassic * C = -9.5 ± 1.2‰ Franchthi Early Classic 13C = -6.8 ± 1.2‰ Pacbitun (LC/TC) Britain (Iron Age) * La Milpa (LC/TC) Alepotrypa Kouveleiki Late/Terminal Classic 13C = -6.5 ± 1.0‰ 3 * Britain (Late Roman) Brochtorff Circle World, and the importance of seafood; and suggestions for future research. formation regardless of the age at death (e.g. Wright 1999). Isotope studies on enamel have produced reliable Santa Rita Postclassic *13C = -6.4 ± 1.8‰ 12 seafood was never a Gerani Cuello Historic *13C = -5.6 ± 0.7‰ Armenoi La Milpa Lamanai 0 dietary staple, even data going back millions of years (e.g. Lee-Thorp 2000). Hair and teeth both grow sequentially, so that Baking Pot Mojo Cay Uaxactun Barton Ramie -12 -9 -6 -3 9 Sites in peninsular Italy and Sardinia by Tykot and colleagues Holmul delta 13C (apatite) (per mil) Cahal Pech Pacbitun Itzan Seibal Caracol on islands. microsampling may be used to address short term isotopic variation (e.g. O’Connell & Hedges 1999; Balasse a Altar de Sacrificios 15 Delta 15N (per mil) Aguate ca Archaeological Evidence for Subsistence Dos Pilas 6 Portugal data from Lubell et al. 1994; other data from 12 2002). Baking Pot (LC) publications by Richards Iximche Copan Barton Ramie (EC) 15 Faunal remains Kaminaljuyu Barton Ramie (LC) 3 La Blanca Cahal Pech (Pre-C) Overall, stable isotope analysis is able to quantify the proportions of C3 and C4 plants (e.g. maize) and their 9 Cahal Pech (LC) Cuello (Pre-C) Macrobotanical remains Lamanai (Pre-C) -24 -20 -16 -12 Lamanai (EC) -22 -18 -14 -10 c Lamanai (LC/TC) Coprolites or stomach contents consumers in human diets, compare terrestrial vs. freshwater vs. marine resources, and reveal whether there 6 Lamanai (Post-C) delta 15N (per mil) Lamanai (H) Delta 13C (per mil) 12 Preclassic d13C = -12.6 ± 1.2 Pacbitun (EC) Early Classic d13C = -11.5 ± 1.3 Pacbitun (LC/TC) Armenoi (LMIII Crete) Pollen Figure 5a,b. Isotope studies in the New World La Milpa (LC/TC) were systematic differences between individuals based on geography, chronology, social status, and/or sex, in 3 Late/Terminal Classic d13C = -11.3 ± 2.3 Postclassic d13C = -9.3 ± 0.8 Figure 11. Several studies have shown that in the Atlantic, Mycenae Circle A Tykot projects in red Historic d13C = -9.6 ± 0.5 Phytoliths distinguish maize from other plant foods Mycenae Grave B both the New and Old Worlds (Figure 5, left). 0 seafood was only important in pre-neolithic times. Mycenae (LHI-III) -18 -15 -12 -9 -6 Starch grains 9 Balearics (above); in the Old World most studies focus on delta 13C (per mil) Shell middens Sardinia the importance of aquatic resources, and the use Figure 8a-c. A large number of sites have been done now in Belize and Malta Bone chemistry mil) (per 15N Delta 13.2 of millet and secondary animal products (below). Guatemala, but relatively few in Mexico and Honduras. A comparison of 6 Skeletal pathology Female results from different time periods suggests a significant jump in maize in the Data for Crete, Mycenae and Malta from Richards; Pottery residues 12.2 Male for the Balearics from Van Strydonck et al. 2002. overall diet by the Early Classic, and possibly as a protein source by the Artistic depictions 11.2 -24 -20 -16 Historical documentation Postclassic. -22 -18 10.2 Delta 13C (per mil) Plant impressions on ceramics 15 N delta 9.2 Figure 13. Isotope data available for inland and coastal sites Evidence of land clearance, irrigation not shown: 8.2 in Italy, and on Sardinia, Malta, the Balearics, and Crete, Argentina: Buque Sur, Bajo de la Quinta Peru: Chokepukio -20.2 -19.9 -19.6 -19.3 -19 -18.7 -18.4 -18.1 Peru: Lurin mummies show little if any seafood consumption. For the inland site of Figure 1. Isotope analyses strongly complement other Figure 6. Sample selection and preparation in the Laboratory for Archaeological Science at the University of South Florida. Peru: Chongos hair delta 13 C Venezuela: Parmana Mycenae, however, the highest status individuals appear to evidence about ancient dietary practices One gram of bone is used to produce collagen samples for analysis, and less than 10 mg for apatite and tooth enamel . Cerro Mangote Figure 14. On Sardinia, at the Bronze Age site of Socapamba have had some access to seafood. La Chimba Im-11 La Florida Loma Alta Padru Jossu, there appears to be small but measurable Las Vegas Lake Ayauch Real Alto La Emerenciana Pacopampa male-female differences in diet. Cerro Oreja Guitarrero Viru Valley Huaricoto Casma Valley Waman Wa in Isotope Basics Los Gavilanes Chavin de Huantar Applications - North America Cardal Jauja Mina Perdida Tablada de Lurin Machu Picchu 16 Isotopes are elements which vary in the number of neutrons in their nuclei Villa El Salvador Tiwanaku 16 Osmore Valley Khonkho Wankane Pisagua Camarones Data in red from Pechenkina et al. 2005 Tarapaca (Figure 2). The multiple isotopes of carbon (12, 13, 14), nitrogen (14, 15), and Tiliviche 15 San Pedro 14 oxygen (16, 17, 18) affects the energy used in chemical reactions, resulting in a Huachichocana Weeden Island 14 Pillsbury 12 San Juan Melton Mound I variation in isotope ratios in different materials (Tykot 2004). Except for carbon Central Chile Mendoza Pillsbury b 13 Horr's Island 14, these are all stable isotopes which do not decay over time. Arroyo Seco Melton Mound I Dunwoody 10 d15N Collagen d15N Horr's Island North-Central Patagonia d15N Collagen 12 Micro-sampling of Crystal River Dunwoody Cross Creek 8 Crystal River Sample Preparation and Stable Isotope Analysis prehistoric Ecuador incisor 11 shows 4‰ carbon range Bayshore Homes Bayshore Homes Less than one gram of bone is necessary to extract sufficient collagen (a 1% yield is Tierra del Fuego 10 Bay Pines 6 Bay Pines 500 Km protons + neutrons 500 Mi. -22 -20 -18 -16 -14 -12 -10 -8 -6 -16 -14 -12 -10 -8 -6 -4 considered reliable) for stable isotope analysis, and may generally come from any part of the Tykot projects in red d13C Collagen d13 C Bone Apatite skeleton. Much smaller samples of well-preserved tooth dentin may also be tested, while for d Figure 15. In northern China, millet appears to have Figure 16. Many studies have been done in North America, apatite and enamel analyses only several milligrams are needed. Overall, isotopic analysis is 18 decreased in importance in later periods, perhaps with mainly looking at the spread of maize from the southwest to as 4001 number of protons 3005 4002 minimally destructive to skeletal remains. 3004 16 30033001 the expansion of rice from the south. The values shown far as Canada. One of the studies done at USF compared inland, 3002 4003 5204 At the University of South Florida, sample preparation is done using well-established 1202 for Liangchengzhen are based on apatite (hence no riverine, and coastal sites in peninsular Florida, with the bone 1203 5203 47034702 4701 Ind.
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