Stable isotopes, mobility and camelids in early agropastoralist societies of the Southern Argentine Puna

Abstract

This article explores the management and acquisition of domestic and wild camelids as part of the economic and mobility strategies of agro-pastoralist groups in Antofagasta de la Sierra (Catamarca, Southern Argentine Puna) during the Formative Period, between ca. 3000 and 1000 years BP. In this respect, we present 25 δ13C values extracted from collagen taken from camelid bone remains at the site of Casa Chávez Montículos. These values where then contrasted and discussed in relation to isotopic data from modern-day camelids in the study area. The results thus obtained allow us to posit a hypothesis concerning the existence of a logistic pattern of territorially generalized hunting throughout the whole of the period considered here. Likewise, we observe a change in the management strategies of space and herding resources during the Early and Late Formative. In this manner, while during the Early Formative the main herding strategy consisted of the exploitation of natural pastures in existence across the different micro-environmental zones of the area; towards 1800 year BP we see the emergence of a new strategy. This last is characterized by a reduction in mobility and the consumption by domesticates of complementary supplementary fodder.