Abstract

KOCHI, Sayuri. Paleodietas en cazadores-recolectores del canal Beagle durante el Holoceno tardío. Intersecciones antropol. [online]. 2017, vol.18, n.3, pp.329-339. ISSN 1850-373X.

The diets of coastal hunter-gatherers in Patagonia are usually characterized as terrestrial, marine or mixed. This classification may not be enough to describe the flexibility of their procurement strategies. Particularly in the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego province, Argentina) there are diverse marine species which differ in their procurement and processing costs, as well as habitat. This study uses natural variations of 13C/12C and 15N/14N isotopes in the local environment to conduct detailed paleodietary reconstructions of 15 individuals dated from 1500 BP to post-contact times. Bayesian mixing models are employed to estimate quantitatively the consumption of combined multiple resources. Results indicate mainly marine diets, with a regular input of pelagic seabirds such as albatrosses. With regard to terrestrial prey, the complementary character of guanacos in most individuals’ diets is confirmed. Finally, a small quantity of plants was found. The latter are mentioned by ethnographic sources but have been difficult to observe through archaeobotanical analyses.

Keywords : Diet; Subsistence; Isotopic ecology; Tierra del Fuego; Bayesian mixing models.

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