Nicole Slovak | Santa Rosa Junior College (original) (raw)
Papers by Nicole Slovak
Ñawpa Pacha Journal of Andean Archaeology , 2020
The Field Museum’s (FM) osteological and artifact collection from Ancón, Peru amassed by George D... more The Field Museum’s (FM) osteological and artifact collection from Ancón, Peru amassed by George Dorsey in 1891 represents one of the best-preserved archaeological assemblages from this important Central Coast site. Over the last century, however, mummies and grave goods have become disassociated from one another and their archaeological context lost. This paper reports on recent efforts to reconstruct the Ancón grave lots using FM archival materials. Two case studies are presented in detail, highlighting both the successes and limitations of the project. Ultimately, the results of this study illustrate the enormous potential that the FM collection has to improving our understanding of Ancón’s Middle through Late Horizon occupations and underscores the need for scholars to place greater energy into investigating understudied museum assemblages.
The current manuscript reports the first bioavailable radiogenic strontium isotope (87 Sr/ 86 Sr)... more The current manuscript reports the first bioavailable radiogenic strontium isotope (87 Sr/ 86 Sr) data for Chavín de Huántar, a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage site long recognized as one of the most important ceremonial centers of the Andean Formative Period. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios were measured in local soil, vegetation, and archaeological and modern fauna from in and around the archaeological site. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr signatures from human tooth enamel from five Mariash-Recuay era (1–700 CE) individuals also were generated. Results indicate that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values among soil, plants, and animals are relatively uniform, although the range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios within each category is broad. While in the present study, non-migrants and migrants were distinguishable based on their 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values, the wide range of Chavín's bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr signature might hinder the differentiation of local and non-local individuals in subsequent analyses. We caution that future 87 Sr/ 86 Sr applications at Chavín should consider both bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr signatures calculated from fauna, plants, and soil along with statistically analyzed human data when investigating evidence for residential mobility in the archaeological record.
The inclusion of radiogenic strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis in archaeological and bioarcha... more The inclusion of radiogenic strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis in archaeological and bioarchaeological research has resulted in the creation of new data by which to evaluate models of migration, culture change, colonization, trade, and exchange. Overwhelmingly, archaeologists have used radiogenic strontium isotope signatures in human enamel and bone apatite to reconstruct ancient mobility patterns and to distinguish between individuals of local and non-local origins at archaeological sites. The method also has been employed to establish the provenience of artifacts, ancient building materials, and foodstuffs as well as to track the origins and migratory patterns of prehistoric animals. The present chapter provides an introduction to the fundamental principles, approaches, applications, and future directions of radiogenic strontium isotope analysis in archaeology.
This study investigates human dietary patterns and economic trends at the coastal site of Ancón, ... more This study investigates human dietary patterns and economic trends at the coastal site of Ancón, Peru during the Andean Middle Horizon (550AD–1000AD) using stable isotopic data from 32 individuals buried at the site. δ13C and δ15N results from human bone collagen and δ13C from human tooth enamel and bone carbonate indicate that inhabitants consumed a mixed diet composed primarily of marine protein and C4 resources, with only marginal reliance on C3 foods. Over time, Ancóneros appear to have relied more heavily on C4 resources, particularly maize, despite the fact that the crop could not have been grown locally. These results are notable given that C3 rather than C4or marine foods dominate the site’s archaeological record. These data suggest that Ancón’s inhabitants either had access to more fertile land up-valley where maize could be cultivated successfully or that they engaged in trade relationships with their valley neighbours. A third possibility is that increased maize consumption at Ancón during the Middle Horizon resulted from Wari imperial influence and interregional exchange. Comparisons of δ13C values in enamel and bone carbonate from Ancón individuals indicate that δ13Ccarb_enamel values are significantly more positive than δ13Ccarb_bone values. This suggests that the diets of young children were systematically enriched in 13C compared to that of adults, perhaps as a result of nursing activity and/or differential dietary practices among various age groups at the site.
Ñawpa Pacha Journal of Andean Archaeology , 2020
The Field Museum’s (FM) osteological and artifact collection from Ancón, Peru amassed by George D... more The Field Museum’s (FM) osteological and artifact collection from Ancón, Peru amassed by George Dorsey in 1891 represents one of the best-preserved archaeological assemblages from this important Central Coast site. Over the last century, however, mummies and grave goods have become disassociated from one another and their archaeological context lost. This paper reports on recent efforts to reconstruct the Ancón grave lots using FM archival materials. Two case studies are presented in detail, highlighting both the successes and limitations of the project. Ultimately, the results of this study illustrate the enormous potential that the FM collection has to improving our understanding of Ancón’s Middle through Late Horizon occupations and underscores the need for scholars to place greater energy into investigating understudied museum assemblages.
The current manuscript reports the first bioavailable radiogenic strontium isotope (87 Sr/ 86 Sr)... more The current manuscript reports the first bioavailable radiogenic strontium isotope (87 Sr/ 86 Sr) data for Chavín de Huántar, a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage site long recognized as one of the most important ceremonial centers of the Andean Formative Period. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios were measured in local soil, vegetation, and archaeological and modern fauna from in and around the archaeological site. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr signatures from human tooth enamel from five Mariash-Recuay era (1–700 CE) individuals also were generated. Results indicate that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values among soil, plants, and animals are relatively uniform, although the range of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios within each category is broad. While in the present study, non-migrants and migrants were distinguishable based on their 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values, the wide range of Chavín's bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr signature might hinder the differentiation of local and non-local individuals in subsequent analyses. We caution that future 87 Sr/ 86 Sr applications at Chavín should consider both bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr signatures calculated from fauna, plants, and soil along with statistically analyzed human data when investigating evidence for residential mobility in the archaeological record.
The inclusion of radiogenic strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis in archaeological and bioarcha... more The inclusion of radiogenic strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis in archaeological and bioarchaeological research has resulted in the creation of new data by which to evaluate models of migration, culture change, colonization, trade, and exchange. Overwhelmingly, archaeologists have used radiogenic strontium isotope signatures in human enamel and bone apatite to reconstruct ancient mobility patterns and to distinguish between individuals of local and non-local origins at archaeological sites. The method also has been employed to establish the provenience of artifacts, ancient building materials, and foodstuffs as well as to track the origins and migratory patterns of prehistoric animals. The present chapter provides an introduction to the fundamental principles, approaches, applications, and future directions of radiogenic strontium isotope analysis in archaeology.
This study investigates human dietary patterns and economic trends at the coastal site of Ancón, ... more This study investigates human dietary patterns and economic trends at the coastal site of Ancón, Peru during the Andean Middle Horizon (550AD–1000AD) using stable isotopic data from 32 individuals buried at the site. δ13C and δ15N results from human bone collagen and δ13C from human tooth enamel and bone carbonate indicate that inhabitants consumed a mixed diet composed primarily of marine protein and C4 resources, with only marginal reliance on C3 foods. Over time, Ancóneros appear to have relied more heavily on C4 resources, particularly maize, despite the fact that the crop could not have been grown locally. These results are notable given that C3 rather than C4or marine foods dominate the site’s archaeological record. These data suggest that Ancón’s inhabitants either had access to more fertile land up-valley where maize could be cultivated successfully or that they engaged in trade relationships with their valley neighbours. A third possibility is that increased maize consumption at Ancón during the Middle Horizon resulted from Wari imperial influence and interregional exchange. Comparisons of δ13C values in enamel and bone carbonate from Ancón individuals indicate that δ13Ccarb_enamel values are significantly more positive than δ13Ccarb_bone values. This suggests that the diets of young children were systematically enriched in 13C compared to that of adults, perhaps as a result of nursing activity and/or differential dietary practices among various age groups at the site.