Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina
Objectives: The timing and duration of breastfeeding and weaning in past hunter-gatherer populations are discussed based on the results of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses undertaken on a Late Holocene skeletal sample from Lake Salitroso in the Patagonian steppe (Argentina). Research in L...
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todo:paper_00029483_v158_n1_p105_Tessone2023-10-03T13:54:45Z Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina Tessone, A. García Guraieb, S. Goñi, R.A. Panarello, H.O. breastfeeding collagen hunter-gatherers Patagonia stable isotope analysis carbon carbon 13 nitrogen nitrogen 15 carbon collagen adolescent adult age archeology Argentina Article breast feeding child controlled study female fetus foraging behavior human human tissue infant isotope analysis Late Holocene male newborn rib weaning chemistry physical anthropology preschool child young adult Adolescent Adult Anthropology, Physical Archaeology Argentina Breast Feeding Carbon Isotopes Child Child, Preschool Collagen Female Humans Infant Infant, Newborn Male Weaning Young Adult Objectives: The timing and duration of breastfeeding and weaning in past hunter-gatherer populations are discussed based on the results of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses undertaken on a Late Holocene skeletal sample from Lake Salitroso in the Patagonian steppe (Argentina). Research in Lake Salitroso is part of a regional project that studies the relationship between hunter-gatherer societies, their organizational systems and the environmental changes during the last 3,000 years in Patagonia. Methods: The sample included 52 individuals: 33 subadults and 19 adults of both sexes. They were recovered from 24 burial stone structures, locally called chenques, with dates ranging from ca. 800 BP to 350 BP. Ribs were selected for collagen extraction and measurement of 13C/12C and 15N/14N ratios. Results: A δ13C mean value of -18.7‰ ± 0.5‰ was obtained, with a range between -19.8‰ and -17.1‰ whereas δ15N recorded a mean of 11.9‰ ± 1.1‰ with a range between 10.1‰ and 14.8‰. δ15N data showed an age-related pattern with particularly marked difference between values for subadults under the age of 4 and older individuals. As opposed to δ15N, δ13C showed little variation with age. Conclusions: An early incorporation of supplementary solid food between 0.75 and 2 years of age and a late cessation of breastfeeding at about 5-6 years of age were inferred. This suggests that among this Patagonian hunter-gatherer population weaning was a gradual and lengthy process. These results are consistent with the patterns observed in cross-cultural studies and archaeological samples of hunter-gatherer groups. Am J Phys Anthropol 158:105-115, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. JOUR info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00029483_v158_n1_p105_Tessone |
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Universidad de Buenos Aires |
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I-28 |
| repository_str |
R-134 |
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Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA) |
| topic |
breastfeeding collagen hunter-gatherers Patagonia stable isotope analysis carbon carbon 13 nitrogen nitrogen 15 carbon collagen adolescent adult age archeology Argentina Article breast feeding child controlled study female fetus foraging behavior human human tissue infant isotope analysis Late Holocene male newborn rib weaning chemistry physical anthropology preschool child young adult Adolescent Adult Anthropology, Physical Archaeology Argentina Breast Feeding Carbon Isotopes Child Child, Preschool Collagen Female Humans Infant Infant, Newborn Male Weaning Young Adult |
| spellingShingle |
breastfeeding collagen hunter-gatherers Patagonia stable isotope analysis carbon carbon 13 nitrogen nitrogen 15 carbon collagen adolescent adult age archeology Argentina Article breast feeding child controlled study female fetus foraging behavior human human tissue infant isotope analysis Late Holocene male newborn rib weaning chemistry physical anthropology preschool child young adult Adolescent Adult Anthropology, Physical Archaeology Argentina Breast Feeding Carbon Isotopes Child Child, Preschool Collagen Female Humans Infant Infant, Newborn Male Weaning Young Adult Tessone, A. García Guraieb, S. Goñi, R.A. Panarello, H.O. Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina |
| topic_facet |
breastfeeding collagen hunter-gatherers Patagonia stable isotope analysis carbon carbon 13 nitrogen nitrogen 15 carbon collagen adolescent adult age archeology Argentina Article breast feeding child controlled study female fetus foraging behavior human human tissue infant isotope analysis Late Holocene male newborn rib weaning chemistry physical anthropology preschool child young adult Adolescent Adult Anthropology, Physical Archaeology Argentina Breast Feeding Carbon Isotopes Child Child, Preschool Collagen Female Humans Infant Infant, Newborn Male Weaning Young Adult |
| description |
Objectives: The timing and duration of breastfeeding and weaning in past hunter-gatherer populations are discussed based on the results of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses undertaken on a Late Holocene skeletal sample from Lake Salitroso in the Patagonian steppe (Argentina). Research in Lake Salitroso is part of a regional project that studies the relationship between hunter-gatherer societies, their organizational systems and the environmental changes during the last 3,000 years in Patagonia. Methods: The sample included 52 individuals: 33 subadults and 19 adults of both sexes. They were recovered from 24 burial stone structures, locally called chenques, with dates ranging from ca. 800 BP to 350 BP. Ribs were selected for collagen extraction and measurement of 13C/12C and 15N/14N ratios. Results: A δ13C mean value of -18.7‰ ± 0.5‰ was obtained, with a range between -19.8‰ and -17.1‰ whereas δ15N recorded a mean of 11.9‰ ± 1.1‰ with a range between 10.1‰ and 14.8‰. δ15N data showed an age-related pattern with particularly marked difference between values for subadults under the age of 4 and older individuals. As opposed to δ15N, δ13C showed little variation with age. Conclusions: An early incorporation of supplementary solid food between 0.75 and 2 years of age and a late cessation of breastfeeding at about 5-6 years of age were inferred. This suggests that among this Patagonian hunter-gatherer population weaning was a gradual and lengthy process. These results are consistent with the patterns observed in cross-cultural studies and archaeological samples of hunter-gatherer groups. Am J Phys Anthropol 158:105-115, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. |
| format |
JOUR |
| author |
Tessone, A. García Guraieb, S. Goñi, R.A. Panarello, H.O. |
| author_facet |
Tessone, A. García Guraieb, S. Goñi, R.A. Panarello, H.O. |
| author_sort |
Tessone, A. |
| title |
Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina |
| title_short |
Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina |
| title_full |
Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina |
| title_fullStr |
Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in Lake Salitroso, Patagonia, Argentina |
| title_sort |
isotopic evidence of weaning in hunter-gatherers from the late holocene in lake salitroso, patagonia, argentina |
| url |
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_00029483_v158_n1_p105_Tessone |
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