Early tobacco use by populations of the interfluvial coast of Antofagasta during the Archaic period (6000–3000 BP; northern Chile): A GC-MS study of dental calculus

Abstract

The use of Nicotiana species among pre-Hispanic populations in the Americas has a long and diverse history. This study provides direct evidence of early tobacco consumption on the hyper-arid coast of Antofagasta, Chile, dating to the Archaic period (ca. 6000 BP). Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we analyzed dental calculus samples from 12 individuals and detected cotinine—a metabolite of nicotine—in seven samples. These findings extend the regional timeline of tobacco use by about 4000 years compared to previous evidence. The absence of smoking or snuffing paraphernalia suggests alternative consumption methods, such as chewing, possibly for medicinal purposes. The presence of cotinine in both male and female individuals suggests that tobacco use may not have been limited to one gender, although further research is needed to confirm possible patterns of access or consumption. This research highlights dental calculus as a valuable bioarchaeological substrate and offers new insights into early cultural practices and human–plant interactions associated with Nicotiana in South America. Due to the small sample size and variable preservation, these results should be viewed as preliminary and require confirmation through further archaeological and botanical analyses.