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Variations in Island Adaptations: Studying Paleodietary and Paleomobility Patterns of Ancient Aboriginals of the Canary Islands via Archaeometry
Abstract
Archaeologists employ stable isotopes of strontium (^87Sr/^86Sr) and oxygen (δ^18O) to trace ancient mobility based on established regional baselines. Additionally, stable isotope analyses (SIA) of carbon (δ^13C) and nitrogen (δ^15N) from bone and teeth offer insights into human paleodietary patterns by examining stable isotope data from animals and plants exploited by ancient populations. Nevertheless, challenges arise in distinguishing marine from terrestrial diets in regions where both land and marine trophic chains intersect. The study of δ^18O values in mammalian bones is tightly related to hydration patterns and water sources, which can be inaccessible in regions like the Canary Islands, where many natural water sources have vanished over time. Archaeology has yet to fully explain the origin and development of the prevalent cultural, socio-political, and economic variation among archaeological populations of the Canary Islands. This research employs the reticulate model and geographic system analysis to investigate ancient subsistence patterns and paleomobility of pre-Hispanic aboriginals from Tenerife and Gran Canaria via SIA combined with newly generated radiocarbon (^14C) dates. The findings reveal challenges in distinguishing marine and terrestrial paleodiets using human bone collagen δ^13C and the dominant environmental signal expressed in human bone δ^15N values from arid regions of Tenerife. By incorporating previously published stable isotope data from ancient Canary humans, my research explores the potential for detecting inter-insular mobility through δ^18O analysis. Notably, this study represents the first analysis of ^87Sr/^86Sr values derived from ancient Canary human bones. Comparing this data with biologically available island ^87Sr/^86Sr values, the method proves its validity in determining local individuals, conclusively indicating the absence of foreigners among the studied populations. Interestingly, I observed significant differences in ^87Sr/^86Sr values between coastal and inland areas in both archaeological humans and baseline material. My research considers the implications of using inconsistent and problematic ^14C date calibration from human bones in chronologies for island occupation. The results presented here provide a foundation for further sophisticated examination of SIA on human bones, urging archaeologists to prioritize the establishment of reliable paleodietary and paleomobility baselines.
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Citation
Cuello Del Pozo, Paloma (2023). Variations in Island Adaptations: Studying Paleodietary and Paleomobility Patterns of Ancient Aboriginals of the Canary Islands via Archaeometry. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /203050.