The role of small prey in human populations of Northwestern Patagonia and its implications

RINDEL, DIEGO D.; GORDON, FLORENCIA; MOSCARDI, BRUNO F.; PEREZ, S. IVAN

Ancient Hunting Strategies in Argentina

Springer Nature Switzerland

Año: 2021; p. 175 - 207

The prehistoric rise in the consumption of small prey has traditionally been explained by archaeologist as the result of diet intensification under situations of demographic pressure. However, alternative explanations have been proposed, such as processes of niche differentiation, nutritional decisions that increase reproductive success or processes of complementarity between resources. In particular, studies of Nutritional Ecology, which focuses on the reproductive advantages of the consumption of all the essential nutrients to the human life, rather than the energy return rate per se, provides an alternative explanation for changes in the consumption of small prey. In this study we examine the role of this prey -which includes dasipodids (i.e., piche and peludo), mollusks, birds, small carnivores, rodents, and fish- in the diet of Northwestern Patagonian prehistoric populations, considering different demographic scenarios for the human populations and their most common prey, guanaco. We use zooarchaeological and stable isotope data to describe dietary patterns and changes, and consider the available ethnohistorical information for theexploitation of these resources in the area. Finally, we gather nutritional and socioethological data of the fauna from the region and discuss some of the applications andassumptions of prey choice models.We suggest that the role of small prey in human diets in Northwest Patagonia was more important along the Holocene than what is traditionally held and was complementary to the consumption of guanaco in terms of availability and nutritional content and in the costs of obtaining and processing.