Human Remains Directly Dated to the Pleistocene- Holocene Transition Support a Marine Diet for Early Settlers of the Pacific Coast of Chile

Abstract

ABSTRACT A coastal route for the initial peopling of the Americas has been debated for over 30 years. Nevertheless, evidence supporting this coastal dispersal is often elusive, especially bioanthropological data. Here we report archaeological human remains directly dated to ca. 11,200 cal BP from the semiarid north coast of Chile (31° S), supporting an early settlement along the Pacific Coast. 15N stable isotope analyses of these remains indicate that the individual relied primarily on marine resources, suggesting coastal dwelling rather than seasonal rounds that included sporadic exploitation of littoral resources. When placed in a regional context, our results suggest that marine resources were important to the subsistence of some groups during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.