Exploring Domestic Food Origins of The Chinese Community At Terrace (42BO547) Through Isotopic Studies
Author(s): Kenneth P Cannon
Year: 2022
Summary
This is an abstract from the session entitled "Diverse and Enduring: Archaeology from Across the Asian Diaspora" , at the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.
Analysis of stable isotopes in bone collagen has been widely used to determine diet in humans and other vertebrates. The methods are well established in theory and practice. This exploratory project is focused on pig and cattle bones collected from surface contexts at Terrace to obtain δ13C, δ15N and Sr isotopic signatures. Comparison with isotopic signatures from local plants and animals, plus published records, will provide a picture of whether these animals were being raised locally or being imported. Understanding the development of food networks along the Transcontinental Railroad with specific attention to the immigrant Chinese community is an important topic of research involving the archaeological record. The information obtained can move beyond a simple understanding of local economic conditions to explore intimate details of this immigrant group and how they adapted traditional foodways to the potential constraints of living in America.
Cite this Record
Exploring Domestic Food Origins of The Chinese Community At Terrace (42BO547) Through Isotopic Studies. Kenneth P Cannon. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Philadelphia, PA. 2022 ( tDAR id: 469385)
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Keywords
General
Chinese Workers
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Food
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Stable Isotopes
Geographic Keywords
Intermountain West
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology