New Isotopic Analysis of the Los Tres Cerros 1 and Cerro de las Pajas Blancas 1 Archaeological Sites (Paraná River Delta, Argentina)

Abstract

In the last 15 years, our scientific team has characterized the pre- Hispanic subsistence in the Upper Delta of the Paraná River (Argentina) by performing different archaeological analyses. These included the study of artifacts (pottery, lithic, and bone tools), archaeobotanical and archaeofaunal remains, and stable isotopes. Integrating this information allowed us to confirm that the indigenous populations linked to the Goya-Malabrigo archaeological entity had a mixed economy that combined hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild resources with horticulture. The main objective of this chapter is to discuss the human diet in the pre-Hispanic settlements of the Upper Delta during the Late Holocene. To achieve this objective, the results of δ13Ccol and δ15N analyses of the human bones of 11 individuals from two archaeological sites and 14 samples of currently cultivated crops are presented. Finally, using a multivariate diet reconstruction model, which incorporates δ13Cap, δ13Ccol, and δ15N values, human paleodiets were characterized. The results suggest the consumption of continental resources within a food substrate based mainly on C3 plant producers and, in some cases, the inclusion of C4 food. This variation in diet also appears to be determined by the site of provenance of the samples. Finally, these results lead us to discuss the importance of wild and domesticated plants for the Goya-Malabrigo entity. They also allow us to overcome the dualistic visions that oppose hunter-gatherer and farmer societies, showing the importance of mixed economies as successful social and economic strategies for life in the wetlands of the Paraná River.