Katherine M. Moore

Bone Stable Isotope Studies in Archaeology

Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in bone have become increasingly frequent inclusions in archaeological reports over the past few decades. The majority of such studies has been done in North America, where the use of marine foods and the introduction of maize have been monitored. Similar questions have been addressed in Mesoamerica and South America. In Europe, stable isotope ratios have documented the shift from marine fishing and gathering to agriculture in coastal areas and the introduction of millet in parts of eastern and southern Europe. Much work remains to be done in Asia, where millet replaced early C3 plant foods and, in turn, was replaced by rice. In Africa marine adaptations, freshwater fishing, agriculture, and pastoralism all yield diagnostic isotopic signatures. We review these studies, discuss areas requiring further study, and close with discussions of areas promising interesting future developments.

PLAINS-PUEBLO INTERDEPENDENCE AND HUMAN DIET AT PECOS PUEBLO, NEW MEXICO

Using bone-chemistry data, this project sought to assess the degree of dietary change that occurred among eastern border Pueblo populations due to prehistoric food exchange with hunter-gatherers on the Plains and to the arrival of Spanish colonists. In so doing we introduce a technique for dietary reconstruction that determines the range of diets compatible with bone-chemistry data from a particular population. The data are derived from samples of modern and archaeological plants and animals collectedfrom the area surrounding Pecos Pueblo, and from archaeological humans recoveredfrom Pecos itself Bone-strontium concentrations were measured to monitor the relative proportions of meat to vegetables in the diet. Carbon and nitrogen stable-isotope ratios in food items and in bone collagen were measured to monitor the dependence on maize and bison meat. The results do not provide support for the hypothesis that bison replaced mule deer in the diet during the period of significant PlainsPueblo trade. If bison, whose diets are relatively enriched in 13C had replaced mule deer, an increase in average 613C values should have occurred. This, however, was not observed. A decrease in carbon-isotope values in the historic period suggests that either bison meat or maize or both decreased in importance in the Pecos diet and that dependence on wild plants increased.

Dietary reconstruction from bones treated with preservatives

Abstract Pre-Historic diets may be reconstructed from the chemical and isotopic composition of human bone. Collections of human bone from archaeological contexts have been treated with resins, glues, and varnishes to consolidate and strengthen them. The use of such treated bone in chemical analysis for dietary reconstruction is evaluated. Results are presented of a study of a museum collection that had been treated with a common consolidant, Alvar. Treatments to remove Alvar from bone were successful. In addition, for one collagen preparation technique, such pretreatment was not necessary.