Isotopic Evidence for Traded Fabrics and Camelid Management Practices in the Virú Valley, Northern Peru (Early Intermediate Period) (original) (raw)

Abstract

This paper presents stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) data for textiles composed of camelid fibre (hair keratin) and butchered camelid remains (bone collagen) from two Early Intermediate period occupations in the Virú Valley of northern Peru: Huaca Santa Clara (V-67), a mid-sized regional administrative centre, and the Gallinazo Group, though to be the capital of the Virú polity. There are marked differences in the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of textiles vs. camelid bone collagen from the same contexts. Additionally, there is a positive correlation between δ13C and δ15N for bone collagen, but not for textiles. This strongly suggests not only that the textiles were composed of wool from non-local animals and that there were significant differences in the diet, habitat and management practices of the animals used as fibre producers, and those that ended up in the midden deposits.

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