Evaluating Prehistoric Migration in Pacific Coastal Nicaragua through the Analysis of Strontium Isotope Ratios

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Strontium isotopes are increasingly used to infer migration amongst ancient populations. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio in tooth enamel is primarily influenced by the underlying geology of the region where an individual resided during tooth formation in childhood or adolescence. Older geological formations tend to present a higher 87Sr/86Sr ratio, while lower ratios tend to correspond with younger formations. Living plants or animal remains found in archaeological deposits can be used to determine strontium isotope baselines. Here, I present the results of a preliminary study of 11 individuals from Ometepe Island, Nicaragua. By comparing the 87Sr/86Sr ratios in teeth collected from each burial to faunal bones recovered from archaeological contexts, one can infer that several individuals may be of non-local origin. I also discuss the status of ongoing research, which expands the understanding of environmental 87Sr/86Sr ratios along Nicaragua’s Pacific coast and further broadens isotopic research of prehistoric migration in Nicaragua.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37435.0