Modo De Vida Y Expectativas De Salud En Poblaciones Del Periodo Formativo De La Costa Norte Del Peru: Evidencias Bioantropologicas Del Sitio Puemape

Abstract

The present paper aims to reconstruct lifestyle and health parameters of three populations from Puémape site on the Peruvian north coast, Central Andes, active during the Formative Period (2500-1 B.C.). Since the factors that led to social complexity and its relation to crop-based subsistence are still being discussed, this analysis of 85 well-preserved individuals using 12 osteological markers for nutritional and functional stress, infectious diseases, and interpersonal violence offers the opportunity to understand the biological dimension of this process. Although we observe auditory exostosis in all samples, indicating the continuing importance of marine resources, other paleopathological findings, in accordance with archaeological data, support the idea of profound changes in lifestyle related to the rise of social complexity in the region. These include a 10 cm height decrease, changes in nutritional stress markers, and an increase in degenerative joint diseases in vertebra but not in the appendicular skeleton, whereas infectious diseases and violent trauma became more frequent. Thus, in Puémape we witness considerable changes in the way of life across the Formative period, associated with changes in diet, division of labor, and social stratification.