South Texas Archaic Hunter-Gatherer Mobility Patterns: A Study using Strontium Isotope Analysis

Summary

Strontium isotope ratios from human enamel can be used to estimate the general origin of individuals and are becoming an important tool in archaeology for studying human mobility. This presentation will illustrate the results of a pilot study looking at mobility patterns for south Texas Archaic period hunter-gatherers using strontium isotope analysis. Six human teeth from the south Texas mortuary site of Loma Sandia, dating to about 2850-2550 years ago, were used in this study. Three of the teeth are from remains sexed as female and three from males, all adults aged 25 and up. Enamel and bone from faunal samples were analyzed to find the bioavailable strontium from two geological regions, one of which is the region where Loma Sandia is also located. Strontium isotope analysis will show if the six individuals buried at this site had grown up in the region or if they migrated to the area later in life. If there are different strontium isotope signatures between males and females, and the geologic regions, it may indicate exogamy related mobility patterns as well. In addition to the results of this study, implications for hunter-gatherer archaeology and directions for future research will also be presented.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

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