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Isotopic Evidence for Diet at Chau Hiix, Belize: Testing Regional Models of Hierarchy and Heterarchy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Jessica Z. Metcalfe ,
Christine D. White ,
Fred J. Longstaffe ,
Gabriel Wrobel ,
Della Collins Cook  and
K. Anne Pyburn
Jessica Z. Metcalfe
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7 (jmetcal4@uwo.ca)
Christine D. White
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5C2 (white2@uwo.ca)
Fred J. Longstaffe
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada N6A 5B7 (flongsta@uwo.ca)
Gabriel Wrobel
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Mississippi, Leavell Hall, University, MS 38677 (gwrobel@olemiss.edu)
Della Collins Cook
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 (cook@indiana.edu)
K. Anne Pyburn
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 (apyburn@indiana.edu)
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Abstract

The stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values (δ13C, δ15N) of collagen and the carbon isotope value of structural carbonate in bioapatite were measured in the bones and teeth of Early Classic to Historic period Maya buried at Chau Hiix, Belize. Diet at Chau Hiix comprised a mixture of resources but contained an unusual amount of protein from high trophic levels. There were no differences between the diets of males and females, and there were no consistent changes in diet from birth to age 12. However, children consumed more maize than adults during all time periods. Similarities in general diet and temporal changes at Chau Hiix, Lamanai, and Altun Ha suggest their participation in a regional socioeconomic system. The diets of the highest-status Early Classic individuals at Chau Hiix, Lamanai, and Altun Ha were different from one another and from those of other individuals buried at their respective sites. We suggest that elites created or attempted to create hierarchies of food consumption within sites during the Classic period and that a heterarchy existed among elites from different sites. During the Postclassic period the major protein component of the Chau Hiix diet shifted from terrestrial animal and/or freshwater resources to reef resources, which suggests increased associations with coastal sites. Temporal changes in diet at Chau Hiix closely paralleled changes at Lamanai, but diets at the two sites were distinct during all time periods.

Los valores de isótopos estables de carbono y nitrógeno (δ13C, δ15N) de colágeno y el valor de isótopo de carbono del carbonato estructural en bioapatita fueron medidos en los huesos y dientes de mayas enterrados de los períodos Clásico Temprano a histórico en Chau Hiix, Belize. La dieta en Chau Hiix comprendía una mezcla de recursos, pero contenía una inusual cantidad de proteína de altos niveles tróficos. No hubo diferencias entre las dietas de hombres y mujeres y no hubo cambios consistentes en la dieta desde el nacimiento hasta los 12 años de edad. Sin embargo, los niños consumieron más maíz que los adultos durante todos los períodos. Semejanzas en la dieta general y cambios temporales en Chau Hiix, Lamanai y Altun Ha sugieren su participación en un sistema socioeconómico regional. Las dietas de los individuos del status más alto de Clásico Temprano de Chau Hiix, Lamanai y Altun Ha fueron diferentes la una de la otra y con respecto a otros individuos enterrados en sus sitios respectivos. Sugerimos que las élites crearon o intentaron crear jerarquías de consumo de alimentos dentro de los sitios durante el período Clásico, y que una heterarquía existió entre las élites de diferentes sitios. Durante el período Posclásico, el mayor componente de proteína de la dieta en Chau Hiix cambió de animal terrestre y/o recursos de agua dulce a recursos de arrecife, lo que sugiere crecientes asociaciones con sitios costeros. Los cambios temporales en la dieta de Chau Hiix muestran un paralelismo cercano con los cambios en Lamanai, pero las dietas en los dos sitios fueron distintas durante todos los períodos.

Type
Part 1: Themed Section on Tehnology Approaches
Information
Latin American Antiquity , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 15 - 36
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by the Society for American Archaeology.

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