Diet analysis reveals pre-historic meals among the Loma San Gabriel at La Cueva de Los Muertos Chiquitos, Rio Zape, Mexico (600–800 CE)

Coprolites have been a source of study for archeologists due to several reasons: they not only provide information on the life and nutritional habits of ancient individuals but also on their health. In this paper, we processed 10 coprolites collected at La Cueva de Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Archaeological and anthropological sciences 2020, Vol.12 (1), Article 25
Main Authors: Pucu, Elisa, Russ, Julia, Reinhard, Karl
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Anthropology
Archaeological sites
Archaeology
Bones
Chemistry/Food Science
Coprolite Research: Archaeological and Paleoenvironmental Potentials
Corn
Diet
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Fibers
Geography
Habits
Healthy food
Life Sciences
Meals
Original Paper
Pollen
Seeds
Squash
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Summary:Coprolites have been a source of study for archeologists due to several reasons: they not only provide information on the life and nutritional habits of ancient individuals but also on their health. In this paper, we processed 10 coprolites collected at La Cueva de Los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE), Rio Zape, Mexico, with acetolysis solution for pollen analysis. The number of pollen grains/gram of each coprolite sample was quantified along with the macroscopic remains of these samples. The main food item ingested by the population was maize, followed by Agave . Squash blossoms were also part of their food source determined by the presence of pollen grains. In macroremains, we identified rodent bones, plant seeds, and Agave fibers. The macroscopic analysis of the samples fits with the analysis of smaller remains, giving an idea of the meal represented by each coprolite analyzed. We relate these results to previous microbiome studies of coprolite samples from the same archeological site and provide a discussion on the relevancy of studying macro- and microremains that can be applied to microbiome interpretation analysis.
ISSN:1866-9557
1866-9565
DOI:10.1007/s12520-019-00950-0