Abstract
This paper presents the first systematic study of Aztec diets using bone collagen stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. The objective was to identify the dietary patterns of an Aztec community living in the Basin of Mexico. The collection analyzed includes adult and subadult skeletons from the residential site of San Cristóbal Ecatepec (in present-day Mexico State) (A.D. 900–1521). The isotopic data were compared with available ethnohistoric and archeological information about Aztec diets. We conclude that Ecatepec residents consumed mostly C4 and CAM plants (as opposed to C3 plants), terrestrial animals, and some lacustrine resources. They shared similar diets and foodways, as indicated by the fact that they belonged to the same socio-economic group and that there were no substantial sex-based differences indicated by the isotopic data. The slightly higher carbon isotope compositions of the men compared with the women could be evidence of pulque consumption by the men—as noted in the ethnohistoric record. The nitrogen isotope compositions of the subadults, however, show some variability related to breastfeeding and weaning practices, with infants weaning between 2 and 4 years of age.
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This project was approved by the Consejo de Arqueología of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) with permit: 401.B[4]19.2016/36/0273.
Notes
A form of physical settlement within the socio-political organization in which there is a religious or governmental center or capital for a group of communities or neighborhoods (calpulli) (Gibson 1971; Smith 2008). A hierarchy existed within the system based on settlement size, ranging from small hamlets (as the case of Ecatepec), villages, mid-sized towns, to large urban centers (Trejo Rangel 2014).
The increase in fossil fuel burning since the Industrial era has decreased the δ13C of atmospheric CO2 by about 1.5‰ in the early 1990s (Wahlen 1994) and the size of the decrease is now ~ 2‰. Our correction of + 1.5‰ is based on the time of collection of these plants and animals by Lounejeva-Baturina et al. (2006), Morales Puente et al. (2012), and Warinner (2010).
Collagen yields for samples DM 72–77 and DM 92–106 are not available. Based on the rest of the quality indicator results, however, these samples are well within the ranges of acceptable collagen preservation.
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We thank the Consejo de Arqueología of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) for approving this study; Patricia Ledesma Bouchan, Leonardo López Luján, Ximena Chávez Balderas, and Israel Elizalde for the guidance and support; Kim Law, Grace Yau, and Li Huang for the support in Western’s Laboratory for Stable Isotope Science (LSIS); Lourdes Reynaga Amézquita and Karen Ortega for the assistance during sampling in Mexico; and Amedeo Sghinolfi for editing Fig. 1. Many thanks to Michael Spence and Lisa Overholtzer for providing feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript as well as two anonymous reviewers for suggestions that helped improve this manuscript. This is Laboratory for Stable Isotope Science Contribution #379.
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This project was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship to DKMR), a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery Grant (FJL), Canada Foundation for Innovation and Ontario Research Fund Infrastructure grants (FJL), the Canada Research Chairs Program (FJL), and The University of Western Ontario (J-FM).
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DKMR, J-FM, FJL, and REGC designed the research; REGC excavated and curated the collection; DKMR performed research; DKMR, J-FM, and FJL interpreted the data; DKMR wrote the initial manuscript with input from J-FM, FJL, and REGC.
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Moreiras Reynaga, D.K., Millaire, JF., García Chávez, R.E. et al. Aztec diets at the residential site of San Cristobal Ecatepec through stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of bone collagen. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 12, 216 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01174-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01174-3