Isotopic ecology and human paleodiets in the lower basin of the Colorado River (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina)

MARTÍNEZ G.; ZANGRANDO A. F.; PRATES L.

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Año: 2009 vol. 19 p. 281 - 296

1047-482X

Results of stable isotope analyses are presented for the study of human subsistence in thelower basin of the Colorado River, Buenos Aires province, Argentina. This paper provides themost current state of knowledge concerning isotopic research in the study area, which in turnsheds new light on such a significant region as the Pampa-Patagonia transitional zone,spatially related to the Atlantic coast. In addition, information from the middle basin of theNegro River is incorporated in the analysis and discussion. Both the construction of an isotopicecology and the prehistoric human diets derived from d13C and d15N human isotope values forthe area are explored. Stable isotope analysis of modern plants indicates a C3 plant-basedenvironment. Animal resources have d13C values that indicate a diet based mainly on C3products. Nevertheless, they have highly variable d15N values. Human isotopic values havethe following mean values: 18.8 +/- 1.08 for d13CCOL (n=25), and 11.98 +/- 1.34 ford15N (n=25). As a general trend, the results obtained from both C and N isotopic signalsindicate a diet based on the consumption of protein provided by meat of terrestrial herbivores(e.g. artiodactyls) with the complement of fish. These results are in agreement with the dataobtained from the zooarchaeological record for the Late Holocene.