Stable isotope analysis of the Inca mummy from Nevado de Chuscha (Salta, Argentina)*

TESSONE, A.; PANARELLO, H. O.; VALENZUELA, L. O.; VALENZUELA, L. O.; KILLIAN GALVÁN, V. A.; SHARP, Z. D.; KILLIAN GALVÁN, V. A.; SHARP, Z. D.; TESSONE, A.; PANARELLO, H. O.

ARCHAEOMETRY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2019

0003-813X

This paper presents the carbon (13C/12C), nitrogen (15N/14N), oxygen (18O/16O), hydrogen (2H/1H)and sulfur (34S/32S) stable isotope values measured in the hair of a female individual from northwesternArgentina. The analysis of segments of this tissue allows for the recording of the diet andmigratory changes with a short time resolution. The sample is from a mummified young female individualdiscovered in Chuscha mount, Salta province. It was found at more than 5000 masl, in amountain sanctuary of the Inca expansion (capacochas). The paper discusses the paleodiet and mobilitypatterns of this individual in the period before her death, focusing on the isotopic variations in alimited time scale. The results indicate that the individual moved from a different region to the placewhere she was sacrificed. Furthermore, in the last year the individual was alive, a shift in the isotopiccomposition of the food consumed is detected: a variation in the importance of C4 over C3 resourcesis evident. The results are compared with the isotopic estimations for other children and youngpeople recovered in archaeological contexts associated with capacochas to infer variability in thegeographical trajectories covered during their last months of life.