Oxygen Isotope Values in the Maya Region

Abstract

Bioarchaeologists use oxygen isotope variation in ancient Mesoamerica to reconstruct past behaviors such as migration and weaning age. The increasing number of studies merits closer examination of unresolved problems with the method. Examples in the Maya region highlight several key issues, including differential incorporation of δ18O in body tissues that impact comparability of studies from different labs, as well as the different treatment protocols they use. In addition, the efficacy of modeling to predict both water and human values in archaeological populations is uncertain. Other issues, such as the effects of seasonality and climate change on human isotope values, remain underexplored. In some cases, there appears to be more variability within populations than among them. δ18O values may best be used with caution and applied in conjunction with other lines of evidence.