Food in prehistory. The case of Calchaquí valley, Salta, Argentina

Abstract

In this work we compared from bioarchaeological analysis, two osteological sets of different times of occupation of the Calchaquíes Valleys (Salta), 66 individuals from Formative Period (500 BC-1000 AD) and 128 from Regional Development Period (1000-1430 AD). It focuses on the composition and structure of the samples as well as diet and nutrition indicators (porotic hyperostosis, cribra orbitalia, enamel hypoplasia lines, caries, antemortem tooth loss, infections, abscesses and dental wear).Despite the regular state of conservation of the remains, it was possible to observe that part of the population had difficulties in access to resources being that diet consisted of foods with high percentages of carbohydrates, recording no statistically significant differences between the indicators analyzed over time.

Keywords

• Bioarqueología
• Valle Calchaquí
• Dieta
• Salud
• Cambios temporales.