STABLE ISOTOPE STUDIES IN THE SALITROSO LAKE BASIN (SOUTHERN PATAGONIA, ARGENTINE REPUBLIC): ASSESSING DIET OF LATE HOLOCENE HUNTER-GATHERERS

TESSONE AUGUSTO; ZANGRANDO ATILIO FRANCISCO; BARRIENTOS GUSTAVO; GOÑI RAFAEL A.; PANARELLO HECTOR O.; CAGNONI MARIANA

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Año: 2009 vol. 19 p. 297 - 308

1099-1212

This work aims to present the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data for human andenvironmental samples in order to discuss the dietary patterns of Late Holocene huntergatherersfrom Salitroso Lake (southern Patagonia, Argentina) within the framework ofongoing research oriented to investigate the socio-ecology of these populations. We presentdata for a sample of 24 human skeletons, 19 of which have been radiocarbon-dated tobetween 2600 and 350 years BP. Faunal skeletal remains and modern plants are sampled inorder to get a better understanding of the isotopic ecology at a regional level. The mean stableisotope values corresponding to these human samples are: d13C (n 24) -19.05 0.65%,and d15N (n 11) 11.77 0.92%. These results highlight the importance of terrestrial C3ecosystems as the main source of dietary resources for these hunter-gatherer populations.Finally, there is a comparison of stable isotopes of 13C and 15N on a supra-regional scale tohighlight the particularities of the samples presented here for the Late Holocene in Patagonia.