🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Stable isotope analysis is commonly used to reconstruct ancient diets through chemical signatures preserved in bone.
Bioarchaeological studies analyzing carbon and nitrogen isotopes in skeletal remains from coastal Norte Chico sites reveal significant marine protein consumption. Anchovies and other small fish contributed substantially to dietary intake. These findings date to approximately 2500 to 2000 BCE. Contrary to early assumptions that agriculture alone fueled urban growth, marine resources played a dominant role. Cotton-supported fishing intensified protein supply. Diet reflects integrated coastal economy. Urban nutrition was ocean-based. Food patterns shaped demography.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Scientific isotope analysis strengthens understanding of subsistence foundations. Marine reliance diversifies early urban economic models. Institutional stability depends on nutritional reliability. Norte Chico’s example challenges cereal-centric developmental narratives. Resource plurality increases resilience. Biology confirms archaeology. Diet anchors complexity.
For inhabitants, daily meals linked survival directly to coastal ecosystems. Fishing schedules structured communal rhythms. The psychological integration of ocean abundance reinforced collective identity. The irony is that fish bones now inform modern science about the origins of American civilization. Remains reveal resilience.
Source
Encyclopaedia Britannica – Archaeology and Diet Reconstruction
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