Diversity of Lifeways in Early Antillean Societies: A Multi-Isotope Approach

Objectives

In this paper, we sought to examine whether people with different lifeways, as evidenced by their mobility patterns and dietary practices, inhabited the Antilles in early precolonial time. We also aimed to explore spatiotemporal trends.

Materials and Methods

New and previously published enamel strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope data were combined with bone apatite carbon and bone collagen carbon and nitrogen isotope data to assess the mobility and diet of 146 individuals from eight early precolonial sites from Cuba.

Results

At least three patterns of mobility, associated with different dietary signals, were identified. In contrast with the low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ¹³C_en variability found in Canímar Abajo (CA) between bce 1320 and 807, more variability in dietary practices and higher mobility was apparent in later groups. Between bce 116 and 241 ce, individuals from Playa del Mango showed high mobility within the Cauto region, likely associated with food procurement between inland and coastal areas. From at least 174 ce, a moderate pattern of mobility and a diversity of dietary traditions could be observed among groups from western sites. At least three general dietary patterns were observed, ranging from a 100% C₃ diet to 70:30 C₃/C₄ and, in the case of CA, a higher dependence on marine/C₄ resources.

Conclusions

The differences observed in both mobility and diet between and within populations support the notion that groups with different lifeways inhabited the Antilles in precolonial times. This diverse mosaic of cultural traits defies attempts to group them into broad categories for regional studies of biological and cultural traits.