Isotopic reconstruction of the weaning process in the archaeological population of Canimar Abajo, Cuba: A Bayesian probability mixing model approach.

ABSTRACT: The general lack of well-preserved juvenile skeletal remains from Caribbean archaeological sites has, in the past, prevented evaluations of juvenile dietary changes. Canímar Abajo (Cuba), with a large number of well-preserved juvenile and adult skeletal remains, provided a unique opportunity to fully assess juvenile paleodiets from an ancient Caribbean population. Ages for the start and the end of weaning and possible food sources used for weaning were inferred by combining the results of two Bayesian probability models that help to reduce some of the uncertainties inherent to bone collagen isotope based paleodiet reconstructions. Bone collagen (31 juveniles, 18 adult females) was used for carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses. The isotope results were assessed using two Bayesian probabilit

SUBMITTER: Chinique de Armas Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5411105 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature