Abstract
Llama (Lama glama) and alpaca (Vicugna pacos) are the only large domesticated animals indigenous to the Americas. Pastoralism occupies a fundamental economic, social and religious role in Andean life. Today, camelid livestock are confined to the ecozone of the puna (above 3,500 masl), while their presence on the Pacific coast during pre-Hispanic times is attested by archaeological skeletal remains. This study aims to document herding practices on the northern Peruvian coast during the Early Intermediate Period (200 BC-600 AD) by gaining insights into diet, location of breeding and mobility of archaeological camelids from the funerary and ritual contexts of two Mochica sites, Uhle Platform in Huacas de Moche and El Brujo. The three first early years and the long-term life histories of the animals were documented by the combined bulk analysis of bone collagen (δ13Ccol and δ15Ncol) and bone structural carbonate (δ13Cbone and δ18Obone) and the serial analysis of structural carbonate of molar tooth enamel (δ13Cenamel and δ18Oenamel). Mochica camelids were bred in the low and/or middle valleys, unlike their modern counterparts, who are restricted to highland puna C3 pastures. Archaeological camelids had diverse and complex life histories, usually with substantial maize foddering. An ontogenetic switch in diet and possible residential mobility during the course of life were identified for some specimens. Although the inference of geographic origin from δ18Obone and δ18Oenamel values was limited because of the lack of understanding of the influence of environmental and biological factors, tooth enamel analysis has great potential for exploring camelid herding practices and Andean pastoralism. Our study suggested that Mochica herders adapted their practices to the difficult lowland environment and that herding practices were varied and not restricted to breeding at higher altitudes. The role of maize in different aspects of the economic life of the Mochicas is also underlined.
Highlights
Andean pastoralism and the establishment of trade routes between different ecological zones, the so-called concept of Andean verticality, is one of the foundations for the emergence of complex societies in the pre-Hispanic world [1]
All d13C values of modern specimens presented in Tables 1 and 2 have been corrected by +1.5 % to account for the atmospheric enrichment in 12C, caused by the burning of fossil fuel [108], and for comparison with d13C values of archaeological specimens
C:N ratio varied from 3.1 to 3.3 for all specimens while the carbon and nitrogen concentrations in bone collagen ranged from 41.2 to 44.1% and from 14.9 to 16.4%, respectively. These criteria were used to check the quality of bone collagen preservation for the El Brujo specimens and showed that d13C values of bone collagen (d13Ccol) and d15Ncol values can be used for dietary reconstruction. d13Ccol and d15Ncol values for modern specimens varied from – 20.8 to –20.2 % and from 3.1 to 5.1%, respectively (Table 1, Fig. 5)
Summary
Andean pastoralism and the establishment of trade routes between different ecological zones, the so-called concept of Andean verticality, is one of the foundations for the emergence of complex societies in the pre-Hispanic world [1]. During the preHispanic period, the llama was the only beast of burden and caravans providing goods to different ecological zones were crucial to the development of extensive trade networks [1,4,5,6]. Domestic camelids were sacrificed and deposited into graves to fulfil various symbolic functions [7] and their entrails could be used to read omens. They were a symbol of prestige and a marker of identity [8]
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