Stable Isotopes and Maize Consumption in Central Western Argentina

GIL ADOLFO, NEME GUSTAVO, TYKOT ROBERT, NOVELLINO PAULA, CORTEGOSO VALERIA Y DURÁN VICTOR

International Journal of Osteoarchaeology

John Wiley & Son

Año: 2009 vol. 19 p. 215 - 236

       In this paper we present stable isotope information ( 13C in bone collagen and apatite, and 15N) in order to discuss the significance of maize consumption in the human diets of central western Argentina. We also contribute bioanthropological information based on the study of caries, hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia and dental abscess frequencies. This study shows a large variability in the significance of C4 resources (e.g. maize) during the last 2500 years, and on this basis we propose that maize was significant in the human diet mainly after 1000 yrs BP.