Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands. / Ebert, Claire E.; Rand, Asta J.; Green-Mink, Kirsten; Hoggarth, Julie A.; Freiwald, Carolyn; Awe, Jaime J.; Trask, Willa R.; Yaeger, Jason; Brown, M. Kathryn; Helmke, Christophe; Guerra, Rafael A.; Danforth, Marie; Kennett, Douglas J.

In: PlosOne, Vol. 16, No. 8, 2021, p. e0254992.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Ebert, CE, Rand, AJ, Green-Mink, K, Hoggarth, JA, Freiwald, C, Awe, JJ, Trask, WR, Yaeger, J, Brown, MK, Helmke, C, Guerra, RA, Danforth, M & Kennett, DJ 2021, 'Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands', PlosOne, vol. 16, no. 8, pp. e0254992. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254992

APA

Ebert, C. E., Rand, A. J., Green-Mink, K., Hoggarth, J. A., Freiwald, C., Awe, J. J., Trask, W. R., Yaeger, J., Brown, M. K., Helmke, C., Guerra, R. A., Danforth, M., & Kennett, D. J. (2021). Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands. PlosOne, 16(8), e0254992. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254992

Vancouver

Ebert CE, Rand AJ, Green-Mink K, Hoggarth JA, Freiwald C, Awe JJ et al. Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands. PlosOne. 2021;16(8):e0254992. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254992

Author

Ebert, Claire E. ; Rand, Asta J. ; Green-Mink, Kirsten ; Hoggarth, Julie A. ; Freiwald, Carolyn ; Awe, Jaime J. ; Trask, Willa R. ; Yaeger, Jason ; Brown, M. Kathryn ; Helmke, Christophe ; Guerra, Rafael A. ; Danforth, Marie ; Kennett, Douglas J. / Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands. In: PlosOne. 2021 ; Vol. 16, No. 8. pp. e0254992.

Bibtex

@article{fbd9963552994945a07fcdb6dd7aa170,
title = "Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands",
abstract = "Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide information about broad-scale economic and societal transformations. Though paleodietary studies have primarily relied on stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen to document the types of food people consumed, stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis can potentially provide valuable data to identify terrestrial, freshwater, or marine/coastal food sources, as well as determine human mobility and migration patterns. Here we assess applications of δ34S for investigating Maya diet and migration through stable isotope analyses of human bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) from 114 individuals from 12 sites in the Eastern Maya lowlands, temporally spanning from the Late Preclassic (300 BCE—300 CE) through Colonial periods (1520–1800 CE). Results document a diet dominated by maize and other terrestrial resources, consistent with expectations for this inland region. Because δ34S values reflect local geology, our analyses also identified recent migrants to the Eastern lowlands who had non-local δ34S signatures. When combined with other indicators of mobility (e.g., strontium isotopes), sulfur isotopic data provide a powerful tool to investigate movement across a person{\textquoteright}s lifespan. This study represents the largest examination of archaeological human δ34S isotope values for the Maya lowlands and provides a foundation for novel insights into both subsistence practices and migration.",
author = "Ebert, {Claire E.} and Rand, {Asta J.} and Kirsten Green-Mink and Hoggarth, {Julie A.} and Carolyn Freiwald and Awe, {Jaime J.} and Trask, {Willa R.} and Jason Yaeger and Brown, {M. Kathryn} and Christophe Helmke and Guerra, {Rafael A.} and Marie Danforth and Kennett, {Douglas J.}",
year = "2021",
doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0254992",
language = "English",
volume = "16",
pages = "e0254992",
journal = "PLoS ONE",
issn = "1932-6203",
publisher = "Public Library of Science",
number = "8",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Sulfur Isotopes as a Proxy for Human Diet and Mobility from the Preclassic through Colonial Periods in the Eastern Maya Lowlands

AU - Ebert, Claire E.

AU - Rand, Asta J.

AU - Green-Mink, Kirsten

AU - Hoggarth, Julie A.

AU - Freiwald, Carolyn

AU - Awe, Jaime J.

AU - Trask, Willa R.

AU - Yaeger, Jason

AU - Brown, M. Kathryn

AU - Helmke, Christophe

AU - Guerra, Rafael A.

AU - Danforth, Marie

AU - Kennett, Douglas J.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide information about broad-scale economic and societal transformations. Though paleodietary studies have primarily relied on stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen to document the types of food people consumed, stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis can potentially provide valuable data to identify terrestrial, freshwater, or marine/coastal food sources, as well as determine human mobility and migration patterns. Here we assess applications of δ34S for investigating Maya diet and migration through stable isotope analyses of human bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) from 114 individuals from 12 sites in the Eastern Maya lowlands, temporally spanning from the Late Preclassic (300 BCE—300 CE) through Colonial periods (1520–1800 CE). Results document a diet dominated by maize and other terrestrial resources, consistent with expectations for this inland region. Because δ34S values reflect local geology, our analyses also identified recent migrants to the Eastern lowlands who had non-local δ34S signatures. When combined with other indicators of mobility (e.g., strontium isotopes), sulfur isotopic data provide a powerful tool to investigate movement across a person’s lifespan. This study represents the largest examination of archaeological human δ34S isotope values for the Maya lowlands and provides a foundation for novel insights into both subsistence practices and migration.

AB - Maya archaeologists have long been interested in understanding ancient diets because they provide information about broad-scale economic and societal transformations. Though paleodietary studies have primarily relied on stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen to document the types of food people consumed, stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis can potentially provide valuable data to identify terrestrial, freshwater, or marine/coastal food sources, as well as determine human mobility and migration patterns. Here we assess applications of δ34S for investigating Maya diet and migration through stable isotope analyses of human bone collagen (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) from 114 individuals from 12 sites in the Eastern Maya lowlands, temporally spanning from the Late Preclassic (300 BCE—300 CE) through Colonial periods (1520–1800 CE). Results document a diet dominated by maize and other terrestrial resources, consistent with expectations for this inland region. Because δ34S values reflect local geology, our analyses also identified recent migrants to the Eastern lowlands who had non-local δ34S signatures. When combined with other indicators of mobility (e.g., strontium isotopes), sulfur isotopic data provide a powerful tool to investigate movement across a person’s lifespan. This study represents the largest examination of archaeological human δ34S isotope values for the Maya lowlands and provides a foundation for novel insights into both subsistence practices and migration.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0254992

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0254992

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34383771

VL - 16

SP - e0254992

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

SN - 1932-6203

IS - 8

ER -

ID: 276948110