Isotopic Analysis of Ancient Deer Bone: Biotic Stability in Collapse Period Maya Land-use

Authors: Emery K.F.¹; Wright L.E.²; Schwarcz H.³

Source: Journal of Archaeological Science, Volume 27, Number 6, June 2000 , pp. 537-550(14)

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Abstract:

Isotopic analysis of archaeological white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) bone allows us to examine ancient human land-use through changes in deer diet. These opportunistic edge browsers are ubiquitous Mesoamerican agricultural crop pests. We attempt to quantify diachronic change in deer diet, and thereby browse availability, through analyses of stable carbon isotopes in deer collagen from a large, temporally diverse zooarchaeological deer bone assemblage from the Petexbatún region, Petén, Guatemala. Our finding of temporal uniformity in C4 plant consumption suggests stability in the surrounding biotic communities and in the land-use practices of the ancient Maya. Copyright 2000 Academic Press

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Anthropology, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY, 13676, U.S.A. 2: Department of Anthropology, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4352, U.S.A. 3: School of Geography and Geology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4M1, Canada

Publication date: 2000-06-01