Expanding radiogenic strontium baseline data for central Mexican paleomobility studies

Summary

Radiogenic strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotope values reflect local geology and have long been used in analyses of paleomobility within Mesoamerica. Research has focused on reconstructing individuals’ residential histories by comparing strontium isotope ratios in individuals’ tooth enamel and bone with local baseline values generated from soils, plants, or local fauna. While a great deal of work has been done developing baseline values across the Maya region, work in central Mexico is predominantly focused on the Classic period urban center of Teotihuacan. This study will contribute to paleomobility research in central Mexico by analyzing a combination of modern soil (n=32), plant (n=25), and faunal (n=8) samples to generate an expected "local" range of bioavailable strontium ratios for the Epiclassic (600-900 CE) shrine site Non-Grid 4 in Lake Xaltocan in the northern Basin of Mexico. The shrine was established following the collapse of Teotihuacan, and is associated with a large deposit of human crania showing evidence of decapitation. Characterization of local signatures of strontium isotope values from the shrine indicates whether different sites within the Basin of Mexico can be distinguished isotopically. Additionally, this study serves as the first step in determining whether these sacrificed individuals were of local or non-local origin.

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): 16208