Large-Scale Analysis of Microfossils Extracted From Human Rapanui Dental Calculus: A Dual-Method Approach Using SEM- EDS And Light Microscopy to Address Ancient Dietary Hypotheses (original) (raw)

Microfossil analysis of human dental calculus and sediment samples to address questions of human and human-environment interactions using 114 teeth from 13 burial sites on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), dated between the late 17th to early 19th century, and 15 sediment samples from five sites. The majority of recovered microfossils from the calculus were terrestrial diatoms, followed by palm and grass phytoliths and sweet potato starch grains. Palm phytoliths were the most abundant morphotype in the sediment samples. High frequencies of palm phytoliths recovered from sediment, calculus and sweet potato skins argue for the consumption of sweet potato since palm trees were nearly extinct and sweet potato skins were a vector for the phytoliths, having become embedded in the tubers as they grew in the phytolith rich sediment. High frequencies of diatoms recovered from the southern part of the Island argue for differential sources of freshwater drinking or dietary input.