Strontium Stable Isotope Ratio Analysis of the Loma Sandia Archaic Period Mortuary Site of South Texas

Summary

Models of hunter-gatherer territoriality are derived from the ethnographic record but have rarely been directly evaluated with archaeological data. Mortuary sites on the Texas Coastal Plain have long been thought of as a product of hunter-gatherer territoriality. Strontium stable isotope ratios from human tooth enamel can be used to estimate the origin of individuals and can evaluate evidence for territoriality. This paper will report the results of strontium stable isotope ratios analyzed from 54 human teeth from the south Texas mortuary site of Loma Sandia dating to 2850-2550 B.P. Strontium bio-availablity is preliminarily assessed with fauna from two nearby geological regions. The data analysis of this NSF-funded dissertation project evaluates the variability in the geographic origin of individuals designed to assess the degree of territoriality. Differences between males and females may indicate mobility related to post-marital residence rules.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16224