Diet and Animal Husbandry of the Preclassic Maya at Cuello, Belize: Isotopic and Zooarchaeological Evidence

Abstract

The diet of the Preclassic Maya at Cuello, Belize was studied by means of carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements on human and animal bones from the site, as well as on modern animals from the region. The average δ13C value for Preclassic human bone collagen was −12.9±0.9‰ (n=28) and for tooth enamel apatite it was −8.7±2.3‰ (n=33); the average δ13N in bone collagen was 8.9±1.0‰ (n=23). The archaeological faunal remains, in order of frequency, include white-tailed deer, freshwater turtle and dog, plus smaller numbers of armadillo, Brocket deer, peccary, and rodent. All of these are C3 plant eaters (ave. δ13C=−20.8‰, n=19), except dog (−15.6‰, n=12) and armadillo (−16.4‰, n=6). Archaeological plant remains include maize (estimated carbon and nitrogen isotope values −10‰, ∔3‰) and a variety of forest species. Marine foods are barely represented in the archaeological deposits. The archaeological and isotopic evidence together indicate that the people at Cuello made substantial use of maize, but were not dependent on it like later Maya populations. C4 carbon made up ca. 30–35 percent of their bone and tooth enamel apatite and 50–55 percent of their bone collagen. This apparent discrepancy is the result of their eating dog and armadillo, both with substantial C4 components in their diets. The dogs were the size of large terriers, were slaughtered in their prime, and were apparently allowed to scavenge rather than being fed a high-maize diet to fatten them for the pot. The deer neither raided the cornfields nor were they intentionally fed maize. Feeding maize to deer and dogs are phenomena which were observed in historic times, but evidently developed after the Preclassic.