Berón, M., Luna, L. y R. Barberena 2009. Isotopic archaeology in the Western Pampas (Argentina):...

Isotopic Archaeology in theWestern Pampas (Argentina):Preliminary Results andPerspectivesM. A. BERON,a* L. H. LUNAb AND R. BARBERENAc

a CONICET, Museo Etnografico J. B. Ambrosetti, Facultad de Filosofıa y Letras, Universidadde Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentinab INCUAPA, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad del Centro de la Provincia deBuenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentinac CONICET, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Historia y Ciencias Humanas, Departamento deInvestigaciones Prehistoricas y Arqueologicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

ABSTRACT Different lines of archaeological research have been developed in order to increase ourknowledge of the history of the hunter-gatherer societies that inhabited the western Pampas ofcentral Argentina, South America, during the Late Holocene. Recently, stable isotope datafrom human remains have been included. This paper presents the first group of d13C andd15N results obtained for this region. On this basis we identify spatial and chronologicalpatterns that may have interesting implications at the levels of spatial organisation andtemporal changes. Then, we evaluate the existence of correlations with other lines ofarchaeological evidence. Finally, we propose an agenda for future work including thegeneration of a robust regional isotopic ecology that will provide the context for the devel-opment of specific dietary reconstructions. Copyright ! 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key words: western Pampas; stable isotopes; hunter-gatherers; chronological trends

Introduction

Archaeological research developed during recentyears in the western Pampas, located in centralArgentina, South America, has increased ourknowledge about technology, subsistence, pro-curement of resources, spatial organisation andsocial interactions (Beron, 2004, 2007a,b). Inaddition, bioarchaeological investigations offeredimportant information on hunter-gatherer health

and nutrition, demography and morphologicalvariation (Beron et al., 2002, 2006a; Beron, 2003,2004; Luna, 2008; Luna et al., 2008). Recently,stable isotope analysis of human remains has beenincluded for palaeodietary studies. In this paperwe present and discuss the first set of d13C andd15N results obtained for this region.

The isotopic information presented hereincludes 17 human samples from five archae-ological sites located in the central (Chillhue,Loma Chapalco) and southeastern areas (site 3and La Lomita from Tapera Moreira Locality,Chenque I cemetery) of La Pampa province incentral Argentina (Figure 1). These sites differ intopographic location, chronology and general

International Journal of OsteoarchaeologyInt. J. Osteoarchaeol. 19: 250–265 (2009)Published online in Wiley InterScience(www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/oa.1049

* Correspondence to: Museo Etnografico J. B. Ambrosetti, Facultadde Filosofıa y Letras, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Moreno 350(1091), Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.e-mail: [email protected]

Copyright # 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Received 17 October 2008Accepted 28 October 2008

functional properties. We briefly describe each ofthem in order to provide contextual informationfor the isotopic results.

Site descriptions and materials

Chenque I site (SCH I)

This site is a pre-Hispanic cemetery located in theLihue Calel National Park, in the westernPampean region (38800’S, 65838’W; Figure 1).Hunter-gatherer societies made use of this site formortuary purposes during the end of the LateHolocene, between 1050 and 320 14C years BP.

So far, 49m2 have been excavated, representingabout 23% of the total burial area. Twostratigraphic units were defined, having verydifferent properties. The Superior Unit (0–30 cmdepth) contains thousands of bony and dentalremains with different degrees of fragmentation,comminglement, arrangement and anatomicassociation, due to systematic re-use of the site.In the Inferior Unit (below 30 cm) 43 burialstructures were detected, many of them associ-ated with subsurface stone arrangements. A greatvariability of inhumation modalities was recorded,including simple, multiple, primary and second-ary burials, as well as a variant not previouslyregistered in Argentina, which has been referred

Figure 1. Location of La Pampa province and archaeological sites with isotopic evidence. This figure is available incolour online at www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/oa.

Copyright # 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int. J. Osteoarchaeol. 19: 250–265 (2009)DOI: 10.1002/oa

Isotopic Archaeology in the Western Pampas 251

to as ‘disposition’. In the latter, the anatomicalstructure of the corpse is modified immediately afterdeath, with an intentional arrangement. It occursprior to the skeletisation process, with soft tissuesstill present. Different anatomical units (skull, trunk,and segments of the appendicular skeleton likehands, feet, legs and arms) were disarticulated andthen rearranged, forming a funerary package withdefinite limits (Beron et al., 2002; Beron, 2004; Beron& Luna, 2007; see Figure 2).Abundant cultural materials showing different

degrees of association with the burials have beenidentified in both stratigraphic units. Most ofthem are beads manufactured from different rawmaterials, like mollusks, bones or copper stones,but other kinds of ornaments have also beenfound (a pre-Hispanic copper metal pendant anda silver brooch known as tupu). Associated lithicartefacts include several types of instruments,cores, and debitage, with a predominance of thelatter. Among the tools there are unstemmedprojectile points, end- and side-scrapers, notches,bifaces and some pecked and polished tools(Beron, 2003). No European elements werefound, providing a complementary criterion forthe temporal position of the assemblage. Femalesand males of all age intervals were buried withdifferent offerings. Several burials with multiplesigns of violence including numerous projectilepoints inserted or associated with the human

bones were recovered; in several cases they werethe cause of death of the individual (Beron,2007c; Beron & Bosio, 2008). Moreover, aritualised burial of a male subadult associatedwith a Canis familiaris, multiple inhumationsbundled in organic packages, cremation of thebones, and ochre application were all identified(Beron & Prevosti, 2006; Beron & Luna, 2007;Beron et al., 2007). Because of the large amount ofdemographic and archaeological informationobtained, SCH I is one of the most importanthunter-gatherer mortuary sites in Argentina andthe largest assemblage of burials in La Pampaprovince (Figure 3).

Considering the minimum number of individ-uals (MNI) identified for each unit, there is a finalsample of 216 individuals (127 in the SuperiorUnit and 89 in the Inferior Unit), largelysurpassing previous estimations for the PampeanRegion. Clearly several hundred bodies havebeen buried at this site. Given that the societiesthat generated this cemetery had a hunter-gatherer organisation and an important logisticmobility, this provides an impressive case in termsof the redundancy of use of this locus formortuary activities (Beron et al., 2000, 2006a;Beron, 2003, 2004; Luna, 2003, 2008; Beron &Luna, 2007). So far, a total of 14 burials from thissite have been sampled for chronological andisotopic analyses (Table 1).

Figure 2. Mortuary disposition in the SCH I cemetery site.


252 M. A. Beron, L. H. Luna and R. Barberena

Laguna Chillhue sites

Laguna Chillhue locality is in the Guatrache districtof La Pampa (37817’S, 64809’W; Figure 1). Itsgeographical position corresponds to the ecotonebetween the dry and wet Pampas, offering accessto resources from different ecosystems, such asthe pastizal and caldenar. It is one of a series ofelongated lagoons aligned NE–SW, following theorientation of a series of valleys and depressionsin the region. Available biotic resources are richand varied (Medus et al., 1982; Beron et al., 2006b).The sites detected around the lagoon have diversearchaeological evidence such as lithic artefacts,pottery, faunal and human bones. The humanremains were recovered on the southeastern partof the lagoon (Site 3), corresponding to a skulland a few elements of the postcranial skeletonthat belonged to a female adult. The skull showstabular erect cranial deformation of the plano-lambdic variety. A 14C date of 1930! 30 BP(UGA 02009) was obtained, providing theearliest example of this kind of intentional cranialdeformation in the Pampean Region (Beron &Luna, 2008). This sample was isotopicallyanalysed (Table 1).

Loma de Chapalco site

This site is located in the Toay district, at thehighest topographic point of the plateau(36852’S, 64845’W; Figure 1). Soil removal bybulldozers uncovered human bones from at leastsix individuals. The bones are highly fragmentedand fragile. Two almost complete skulls wererecovered, one of which had ochre on the uppersurface, and the other seems to be intentionallydeformed. Most of the postcranial elements weredisarticulated, fragmented and commingledwithin the sandy and rocky matrix, and a groupof small bones and teeth were dispersed at thefoot of the profile, due to anthropic removal.Nevertheless, the original position of the burialswould have been very close to its actual position(Curtoni, 2007). A sample of teeth was analysedin bioarchaeological terms, taking into accountthe degree of wear, place in the dental arcade,colouration and the presence of different tapho-nomic indicators. In this way, the age of fiveindividuals was calculated, indicating the pre-sence of two young adults and three subadults of12–15 years old. The presence of linear enamelhypoplasias, which are caused by metabolic or

Figure 3. General view of the SCH I cemetery site.



Table

1.Isotopic,archaeologicalandchronologicalinform

atio

n

Site

andburial

Sex

Age

(years)

Burialmodality

MNI

Sample

Labcode

14C

BP

AMS

d13CAP

d13CCOL

d13CAP/COL

d15N

Lactancy

Valuesforhumanskeletons

SCH

I-3

M40–4

4Sim

ple

dispositio

n1

3rd

leftuppermolar

UGA02001

730!50

"12.1

"18.0

5.9

12.9

No

SCH

I-7

F25–3

0Sim

ple

dispositio

n1

3rd

leftuppermolar

AA35952

904!43

—"17.7

——

No

SCH

I-8/9

INAdult

Multiple

secondary

43rd

rightuppermolar

AA35952

901!43

—"18.6

——

No

SCH

I14

F4–5

Sim

ple

primary

1Upperleftincisive

UGA10624

700!40

—"17.3

—15.0

Yes

SCH

I-15

M22–2

4Sim

ple

primary

11st

footphalanx

UGA10625

830!40

—"18.3

—11.7

No

SCH

I-16

M30–3

9Multiple

dispositio

n#simple

61st

phalanxthumb

hand

UGA10626

370!40

—"17.1

—14.3

No

SCH

I-17

M17–1

9Sim

ple

primary

13rd

rightlowermolar

UGA

2002

990!60

"13.0

"17.6

4.6

10.5

No

SCH

I-18

M1–2

Sim

ple

primary

11st

lowerrightmolar

UGA01999

890!30

"12.6

"16.8

4.2

16.3

Yes

SCH

I-21/23

M40–5

0Multiple

dispositio

n,

secondary

53rd

leftuppermolar

UGA

2003

320!30

"13.9

"17.1

3.2

14.2

No

SCH

I-27

M40–4

9Sim

ple

double

23rd

leftuppermolar

UGA

2000

370!30

"13.4

"18.4

5.0

14.2

No

SCH

I-29

M16–1

9Multiple

dispositio

n,

secondary

15

3rd

leftuppermolar

UGA

2004

390!30

"12.5

"16.0

3.5

13.4

No

SCH

I-34

?10–1

1Sim

ple

primary

1Cuneifo

rmUGA

2005

1050!30

"12.2

"17.4

5.2

11.4

No

SCH

I-40

?Adult

Multiple

dispositio

n,

simple

53rd

leftuppermolar

UGA

2007

390!30

"11.6

"17.5

5.9

14.1

No

Chillhue1

FAdult

Sim

ple

11st

leftuppermolar

UGA

2009

1930!30

"11.8

"16.5

4.7

13.4

Partial

LomaChapalco

INAdult

Multiple

simple

6Proximalhandphalanx

UGA

2008

3040!30

"11.6

"17.0

5.4

12.2

No

Tapera

Moreira3

MMature

adult

Sim

ple

primary

1Femurfragment

Beta

82558

2630!60

—"21.2

——

No

LaLomita

F35–4

0Sim

ple

primary

1Femurfragment

Beta

91934

2960!50

—"18.4

——

No

Valuesfor

reso

urces

Site

Species

Burial

modality

MNI

Sample

LabCode

14C

BPAMS

d13CAP

d13C

COL

d13C

AP/COL

d15N

SCH

I-41

Canis

familiaris

Sim

ple

primary

1Rib

UGA

02006

1930!30

"13.6

"18.4

4.8

11.4

Tapera

Moreira1

Lama

guanicoe

——

Phalanx

Beta

91937

4550!60

—"20.6

——

Note:SCH

I:ChenqueIsite.



traumatic stress, was identified. According tothese findings, Curtoni (2007) suggested that thehigh places in the area were assigned for burials.

Tapera Moreira Locality

Tapera Moreira is located in the Lihue Caleldistrict, on the Curaco river bank (38833’S,65833’W, Figure 1). This locality extends over alarge area where several discrete concentrationsof surface and subsurface archaeological materialswere recorded (Beron, 2004). Five archaeologicalsites have been identified, showing importantdifferences in terms of topography and archae-ological contexts. The human remains analysed inthis paper come from La Lomita and site 3 ofTapera Moreira Locality.The Tapera Moreira 1 site presents the longest

regional archaeological and chronologicalsequence. It is a multi-component site, occupiedfrom the end of the Middle Holocene (4550! 60BP) to the end of the Late Holocene (480! 60BP). Lithic artefacts, pottery sherds, faunalremains, ochre, ornaments and pieces of mobileart were recovered and studied, providing thegeneral archaeological context for the isotopicdata. The presence of exotic items such as lithicraw materials (orthoquartzite, chert, obsidian)and fragments of Valdivia pottery from centralsouthern Chile indicate a wide scale of inter-actions (Beron, 1999, 2004, 2007a; Giesso et al.,2008). We emphasise that some of theseindicators establish clear connections with theAtlantic coast, located 200 km to the east. Largeand medium mammals like guanaco (Lamaguanicoe) and ‘venado de las pampas’ (Ozotocerosbezoarticus) were the main staples, complementedwith small mammals, nandu (Rhea Americana) eggsand vegetal foods (Salemme & Beron, 2003;Beron, 2004).Four other sites are located on open air

contexts. In Site 3 the remains of two individualswere located, affected by fluvial erosive processes.One of them is a primary burial of an adult malewith porotic hyperostosis in crania, probablyresulting from an iron deficiency anaemia, apathological condition related to either a lowdietary iron intake or gastrointestinal parasitism(Ortner & Putschar, 1985; Mensforth, 1991). The

other burial corresponds to an adult female and isrepresented by the skull and some disarticulatedpostcranial bones. The skulls of both individualshave intentional annular deformation (Baffi &Beron, 1992; Beron & Baffi, 2003).La Lomita site is located 200m to the southeast

of Tapera Moreira locality. It is an open-air sitewith surface archaeological traces. The humanremains recovered correspond to two incompleteadult individuals (one male and the other female).They were found semi-buried in a small ditch ofalluvial erosion. The female skull also hasintentional annular deformation (Baffi & Beron,1992). Two 14C dates locate these burials at thebeginning of the Late Holocene (2630! 60 and2960! 50 BP; Table 1).

Methods

The stable isotopes and radiocarbon analyseswere carried out in three laboratories: the Centerfor Applied Isotope Studies of the University ofGeorgia (n$ 13), Beta Analytic Inc. (n$ 2), andthe National Science Foundation Arizona Accel-erator Mass Spectrometry Lab (n$ 2). Theaccelerator mass mpectrometers used by theselaboratories were a 2.5MV Ionex at Arizona, anda National Electrostatic Corporation Model 1.55DH-1 Pelletron at the University of Georgia.Due to the poor preservation of the collagen

fraction in human bones, a decision was made toconduct isotopic analyses on teeth samples,preferably the upper left third molar (Table 1).Standard procedures for the evaluation ofcollagen quality were conducted on each of thesamples (Ambrose, 1990). d13CCOL and d13CAP

values are reported in parts per mil (%) relative tothe international standard Pee Dee Belemnite,and d15N values are reported as parts per mil (%)relative to the standard AIR (Ambrose, 1993).

Results

Isotopic tendencies

The human isotopic sample reported here iscomposed of 13 individuals from Chenque I site(SCH I) and 4 individuals from the other sites



already presented (Figure 1). The data consist ofvalues of d13CCOL, d

13CAP and d15N (Table 1).We present a preliminary analysis that will beextended in the future on the basis of furtherknowledge of the isotopic ecology. It is importantto stress that there are some spatial andchronological patterns that can be identifiedindependently of their precise dietary meaning.These patterns will help to guide our futureresearch.The available information on the local isotopic

ecology is very scanty, and our main future goal isto provide the ecological context for an accuratedietary interpretation of the values from humansamples (Table 1). Therefore, some of thesuggestions made here will probably have to berevised in the near future. Nevertheless, some ofthe identified patterns are strong, providing aninteresting base for the development of futurework. The only locally available determinationsare for a sample of Lama guanicoe, a large herbivorethat was one of the staples for humans during theHolocene, and for a canid sample (Canis familiaris)that was recovered in association with burial 41 ofSCH I site (Beron & Prevosti, 2006). In the case ofguanaco, the d13CCOL value does not suggest animportant C4 input to the diet. Generally, the dietof this herbivore is sensitive to the localabundance of C4 vegetal species, something thatis supported by the large isotopic variationsrecorded at different latitudes in South America(Gil et al., 2006; Barberena et al., 2008; Borreroet al., 2009). This observation is clearly prelimi-nary and needs to be expanded, but is consistentwith values obtained for the lower Colorado Riverbasin, to the southeast of La Pampa province,which show a prevalence of C3 foods in herbivorediets (Martınez et al., 2009). The d13CCOL andd15N values for the canid sample fall within therange identified for humans, although it isinteresting to note that the 15N result is locatedat the lower end of that range.The western Pampas are located on the

hinterland of the continent, at ca. 150 km fromthe nearest segment of the Atlantic coast.Nevertheless, and given that these hunter-gatherer societies displayed wide-scale mobility,the consumption of marine foods needs to beconsidered and evaluated. The isotopic infor-mation available for marine mammals from the

Pampean and Patagonian coasts shows homo-geneous values (Barrientos, 1999; Barberena,2002; Gomez Otero, 2007), being consistentwith their wide home ranges. These values clearlydepart from those recorded for terrestrialecosystems, indicating that they can be isotopi-cally discriminated.

In Table 2 we present the descriptive statisticsfor the human sample. Data on d13CCOL andd15N clearly suggest that meat was a fundamentalcomponent of human diets, as observed in thezooarchaeological record (Salemme & Beron,2003; Beron, 2004). Nevertheless, there is a weakcorrelation between carbon and nitrogen values,probably indicating the existence of severaldietary sources of macronutrients which aredifferentially consumed by these individuals(Table 3; Figure 4).

This isotopic distribution can be defined asdiffuse in terms of the dietary models developed bySchwarcz (1991). As he suggested:

‘if the d-values of the tissue samples spread outover a finite region of d-space, larger than canbe accounted for by analytical error, we may

Table 2. Descriptive statistics of the human isotopicsample

d13CCOL d13CAP d13C d15N

n 17 10 10 13Minimum value "21.2 "13.9 3.5 10.5First quartile "18.4 "12.9 4.4 11.8Average "17.7 "12.5 4.8 13.3Median "17.6 "12.3 4.8 13.4Third quartile "17.1 "11.9 5.3 14.2Maximum value "16.0 "11.6 5.9 16.3Standard deviation 1.1 0.8 0.9 1.6Range 5.2 2.3 2.4 5.8

Table 3. Pearson coefficient of correlation (r) betweenhuman isotopic values

d13CCOL d13CAP d15N

d13CCOL 0.23 (10) 0.27 (13)d13CAP 0.23 (10) "0.16 (10)d15N 0.27 (13) "0.16 (10)d13C "0.27 (10)

Note: Between parentheses we indicate the size of eachsubsample; in all cases normality was tested using Sha-piro-Wilk W, p< 0.05.



infer that the diet includes substantial pro-portions of at least three isotopically distinctfoods.’ (Schwarcz, 1991: 265; see also Whiteet al., 2001)

In these cases, the shape and orientation of aparticular set of points is informative about theclasses of resources likely to be involved. Asmentioned, terrestrial herbivores inserted onpredominantly C3 trophic chains are one of themost likely candidates. Besides, C3 vegetal foodsmay have been directly consumed in varyingamounts, and the archaeological record ofpolished stone implements may be associatedwith this. The group of samples with elevatedvalues of d13CCOL and d15N may indicate theconsumption of marine resources. Given the largedistance that separates these sites from the coast,this would be an interesting finding, although itis only a possibility so far. We add that thereis abundant evidence of contact with settingslocated towards the coast, such as lithic artefactsmade of raw materials from the eastern Pampas,and marine shells (see below).Most of the analysed samples correspond to

teeth and reflect the period implicated in theirformation, with a range from a few months of lifeup to puberty. Bioarchaeological informationindicates that some of these cases correspond tonon-weaned individuals (Luna, 2008), which are

therefore one trophic level above their respectivemothers. This directly affects d15N values byintroducing an isotopic enrichment (Katzenberget al., 1996; Dupras et al., 2001). The two highestvalues recorded (burials 14 and 18 from SCH I)show this situation, and there is a third case thatmay show a partial enrichment due to this effect(Chillhue 1).Experimental studies show that the organic

phase of bone tissue is primarily related to theprotein content of diets, while the mineral phaseis associated with the total diet (Ambrose & Norr,1993). Therefore, the spacing (d13C) betweenboth values provides important dietary infor-mation that may help to estimate the contributionof specific food items to human diets (Lee-Thorpet al., 1989; Ambrose et al., 1997; Harrison &Katzenberg, 2003). In the case of diets where theproteic and non-proteic components come fromresources with homogeneous isotopic values, ad13C spacing of ca. 4.4% is expected on the basisof the known fractionation of 9.4% between dietand the mineral phase of bone tissue, and of 5.4%between diet and the organic phase of bone(Ambrose & Norr, 1993). In those cases where thespacing is larger it can be argued that the proteiccomponent of the diet had a lower value than thenon-proteic component, and vice-versa.In the La Pampa sample there are ten human

cases with this kind of information that range

Figure 4. Relationship between d13CCOL and d15N values for human remains. Notes: The three non-weaned individualsare not included (see below). The numbers refer to the burials from SCH I.



from d13C 5.9 to 3.2% (Table 1) and have a meanvalue of 4.7%. The dog sample is also includedwithin this range of variation (d13C$ 4.8%).Four of the ten human cases cluster near theexpected 4.4% spacing value, indicating similaristopic sources for the different macro-nutrientscontributing to the diets, and the same occurswith the canid sample from SCH I. On the otherhand, four of the human samples have largerspacing values, suggesting that the non-proteicdietary input was more enriched in d13C. We donot have an explanation for these values so far,and clearly more ecological isotopic research isneeded. On the other hand, two human sampleshave spacing values that are clearly smaller thanexpected. This may suggest the systematicconsumption of C3 vegetal staples that are locallyavailable (see below), which would producedepleted values values for the apatite bone phase.The correlation of d13C and d15N values

provides additional information (Figure 5)emphasising the diffuse dietary pattern alreadyhighlighted, since there is a wide dispersion ofvalues with a low negative correlation.

Chronological tendencies

We evaluate the temporal tendencies in thevalues of d13CCOL and d15N, excluding the threesamples corresponding to completely or partiallynon-weaned individuals (Table 1) since they may

introduce noise in this analysis, in particular byincreasing d15N values. For both elements wepresent a first general analysis and a second stepwhere we only include the samples from SCH I(which make up a large part of the total sample).The total d13CCOL sample does not show strongtemporal trends, presenting relatively similarvalues from ca. 3000 to 400 14C years BP (Figure 6A& B). The total d15N sample shows a differentpattern, with one early sample disrupting whatwould be otherwise an almost perfect correlation(Figure 7A & B).

When considering only the samples from SCHI (Figure 6B), the d13CCOL values show a verysimilar tendency to that depicted in Figure 6A, withan equally low coefficient of correlation(r$"0.40, p> 0.005). On the other hand, thecorrelation for d15N values from SCH I pre-dictably showsmarked changes, indicating a clearenrichment towards more recent times of the LateHolocene (Figure 7B). Although the sample sizeis small, the temporal pattern recorded for thiscemetery is very strong (r$"0.95, p< 0.001)and deserves further consideration. Given thatthis trend is not accompanied by an increase ind13CCOL values, the consumption of marineresources cannot be considered as the main oronly factor. Metabolic processes associated withenhanced arid conditions are known to produceenrichment in d15N values (Schwarcz et al., 1999;Ambrose, 2000; Dupras & Schwarcz, 2001) andcannot be ruled out for this region, since it is

Figure 5. Relationship between d13C (COLLAGEN-APATITE) and d15N values for human remains. Note: 1. Dog sample fromSCH I.



characterised by a semi-arid climate. Forthcom-ing isotopic ecology studies will help to evaluatethis possibility. Nevertheless, we suggest that adietary explanation is also likely and needs to bepostulated. As suggested by Martınez et al. (2009)for a neighbouring region, these kinds of isotopicvalues could be associated with resourcesenriched in d15N, but relatively depleted ind13CCOL (see also Lillie & Jacobs, 2006). Thisevidence in itself raises a new set of questions,although we cannot go further in explaining thesepatterns in the absence of a deeper knowledge ofthe local isotopic ecology. Despite this situation,the marked change in the values between 1000and 300 14C years BP suggests the occurrence ofrelatively important changes in subsistence. The

regional archaeological record provides thecontext whereby these variations may be under-stood.

Discussion: spatial andchronological patterns

Spatial trends

The sites analysed in this paper correspond todifferent moments of the Late Holocene,between 3000 and 300 14C years BP. These sitesare located in ecologically differentiated land-scapes: Tapera Moreira Locality and SCH I siteare situated in a semi-desert environment, while

Figure 6. Temporal trends in d13CCOL values. Note: A: total sample; B: SCH I sample.



Chillhue and Loma de Chapalco are located in anecotonal area between the dry and humid pampas(Figure 1). The available isotopic data do notallow the definition of inter-regional differencesyet. On a macro-regional scale of analysis it isinteresting to consider the possible complemen-tarity among the different environments. This isclearly identified in the archaeological recordthrough the presence of extra-regional culturalevidences from western and eastern areas (Beron,2004, 2007a). In accord with these archaeologicalevidences that indicate an integrated occupationof different environments, the La Pampad13CCOL, d

13CAP and d15N isotopic values showa pattern of diffuse distribution, which suggeststhat several classes of resources were system-

atically consumed. The consumption of marinefoods by some of these individuals deposited farfrom the coast appears to be a possibility,although it remains untested so far. Putting ourcase on a wider spatial scale, we see thatd15N values tend to be higher in hinterland LaPampa than in the coastal Colorado Riverarea (Martınez, 2004; Martınez et al., 2009).This spatial pattern is striking and may indicatethat some of the La Pampa individuals wereinvolved in a more systematic use of marinefoods, despite the fact that they were recoveredmuch further from the coast. Nevertheless,alternative explanations will have to berefuted first. Martınez et al. (2009) raise thealternative of an enrichment of d15N provoked by

Figure 7. Temporal tendencies on d15N values. Note: A: total sample; B: SCH I sample.



aridity which cannot be discounted. We areplanning to conduct analyses on several localanimal species that will help to evaluate thispossibility.The zooarchaeological record contributes with

data relevant to mobility issues at different spatialscales. The presence of Volutidae shells (cf.Adelomedon) at some of the sites studied heresuggests some kind of interaction with theAtlantic and/or Pacific shore. Complete piecesof this mollusk were recovered from site 1 ofTapera Moreira Locality and from SCH I site,associated with ornaments. Some fragments oftwo different species of this mollusk (A. beckii andA. brasiliens; G. Pastorino, personal communi-cation) were identified at Chillhue 1 (Beron et al.,2006b). A less ambiguous indicator of connec-tions with the eastern coast is the presence ofadornments manufactured in Atlantic malaco-fauna (gastropods and bivalves) from shelldeposits generated by Quaternary marine trans-gressions (Cimino & Pastorino, 2007).The lithic evidence from these sites points to

similar spatial interactions. Different frequenciesof artefacts made from orthoquartzite, a rawmaterial from the eastern Sierras Bayas range(Buenos Aires province), were identified. Itsfrequencies are low in the Dry Pampa sites(Tapera Moreira Locality and SCH I), but prevailin the Valles Transversales ecotonal zone located tothe east (Beron et al., 2007); the morphology ofthe instruments also points to Humid Pampa’sarchaeological contexts. These SW–NE orientedvalleys mark paths of communication, facilitatingthe circulation of goods, resources and people,and indicating interaction with the easternPampas during the final phase of the LateHolocene (Beron et al., 2006b).The faunal and artefactual data indicating

contacts with eastern settings are not conclusivein terms of spatial organisation, since these itemsmay be deposited within home ranges or as theresult of indirect means of acquisition. Thepresence of enriched d15N values in adults mayindicate that some individuals that lived aroundLihue Calel (SCH I) consumed marine resourceson a secondary basis, probably indicating situa-tions of elevated mobility between the hinterlandand the marine coast. Nevertheless, as alreadysuggested, this is just a plausible hypothesis.

Chronological patterns

As shown in Figure 7B, the correlation value forthe d15N results of the SCH I burial shows a clearenrichment towards more recent times of the LateHolocene, while the individuals buried before700 BP show lower d15N values. Since this trend isnot accompanied by a consistent increase ind13C values, the consumption of marine resourcescannot be defended as the main explanation forall these cases. Other important changes in thearcheological record of this period must beconsidered.Strong signs of concentration of individuals in

the most favourable areas have been identifiedtowards the end of the Late Holocene (ca. 1000BP). This situation led to the conformation andre-use of cemeteries, as in SCH I (Beron, 2004). Atemporal hiatus is discerned in the use of thiscemetery between 400 and 700 14C years BP,temporally coincident with the most severedroughts of the Medieval Climatic Anomaly(Stine, 1994; Villalba, 1994), which could becorrelated with the abandonment of the area anddisplacement towards neighbouring environ-ments. Subsequently, between 400 and 320 yearsBP, a greater variability in the types of inhuma-tion and an increasing complexity in themanipulation of bodies between death and finalburial are registered. Very complex secondaryand disposition burials are added to primary burials,and all the structures are multiple (Beron et al.,2007). Moreover, strong signs of conflict andviolence are identified during this period (Beron,2007c; Beron & Bosio, 2008).These conflicts were probably related to a

process of territorial reorganisation, occurringparticularly in association with important patchesof resources. The archaeofaunal record shows animportant dietary diversification and intensifica-tion in the exploitation of some taxa, such ascervids, guanaco, dasipodides, nandu, and theprobable incorporation of minor resources likebirds, rodents and fluvial bivalves (Salemme &Beron, 2003; Beron, 2004). Moreover, theartefactual record denotes higher proportionsof instruments for processing vegetal resources.This evidence indicates a broadening in dietduring the end of the Late Holocene. The diffusedistribution of the d13C and d15N isotopic values



suggests the incorporation of several classes ofresources in the human diet. As already men-tioned, ‘C3 terrestrial herbivores’ and C3 plants,like Prosopis sp., Condalia sp. and Geoffrea sp., aregood candidates as dietary staples (see Martınezet al., 2009). The low d13C values recorded forsome individuals may substantiate this possibility.Marine or freshwater foods are other alternativepossibilities, but their consumption remains atopic for further discussion.Given the contextual, chronological and

metric variation recorded at SCH I site, it hasbeen suggested that there are at least twodifferent populations represented that coincidedin the sacred use of the site (Beron, 2007d). Thismay also help to explain the wide isotopicvariability indicated here. One of these groups,with higher average height, deposited individualsin primary burials from the beginning of the LateHolocene, while the other made burials withmodification of the anatomical structure of thebody during the last 1000 years (Beron, 2007d).The post mortem treatment of the bodies suggestslong-distance transportation (Pate, 1995; Little-ton, 2002; Littleton & Allen, 2007), which mayproduce a spatially ‘disentailed’ isotopic signal.In order to develop these ideas, some

complementary lines of work will be developedin the near future. First and foremost, the study ofthe isotopic ecology will be developed throughthe analysis of faunal samples of several speciesrepresented in the zooarchaeological record. Thehuman isotopic sampling will be expanded withthe aim of identifying patterns in chronology,age, gender and mortuary practices. Secondly, inorder to evaluate the geographical provenance ofthe individuals, trace-element analysis will beinitiated. Finally, the continuing integration ofthe isotopic data with the regional archaeologicalrecord will be fundamental to developing ourreconstructions of the spatial and temporal dyna-mics of the hunter-gatherer groups that lived in thewestern Pampas of southern South America.

Acknowledgements

We especially thank Rafael Curtoni, GustavoMartınez, A. Francisco Zangrando and LucianoPrates for allowing us to comment on their recent

results. This research has been supported by thefollowing grants: PIP CONICET N8 5167, PICT26312 and UBACyT F 183. Finally, we thank twoanonymous reviewers for their interesting com-ments which helped to enrich this paper.

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