A Preliminary Study of Epiclassic Diet at Cerro Magoni in Tula, Mexico using Stable Isotope Analysis and AMS Radiocarbon Dating

Summary

In this paper, we present preliminary paleodietary data and radiocarbon dates for 12 burials recovered from Cerro Magoni, an Epiclassic (ca. AD 600-900) hilltop settlement in Tula, Mexico. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) analyses of bone collagen were used to assess the diet of individuals buried near the summit of the settlement. The production of bone collagen requires essential amino acids derived from protein, therefore stable carbon analyses reflect the origins of dietary protein, particularly C3, C4, and CAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) plants. Additionally, stable nitrogen values reflect trophic position in biological systems and can be used to differentiate between marine and terrestrial food sources. Finally, AMS radiocarbon dates of the burials will also be presented. These dietary data and radiocarbon dates will be further contextualized through a comparative discussion of our current understanding of food production and consumption in the Tula region during the Epiclassic and Early Postclassic (ca. AD 900-1200) periods. To our knowledge, this analysis is the first isotopic reconstruction of diet in the immediate Tula area and will provide the basis for future research regarding diet, migration, and identity in the Tula Valley during the Epiclassic period.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Tula Region Interaction and Migration Project (TRIMP): Year 1   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16967