We studied the temporal and spatial variation of diet and oral health of human populations that inhabited the central region of Argentina during the Late Holocene (4000–300 BP) by evaluating isotopic data (δ13Ccol, δ15N), physiological stress indicators (tooth wear), and infectious dental diseases (caries). The sample of 49 individuals was recovered from archaeological sites located in the province of Córdoba, dated by AMS on collagen to a range of 4058 ± 89 years BP to 370 ± 15 14C years BP. After calculating the prevalence of caries and the average dental wear, we compared these values based on regional origin (central highlands and eastern lowlands), temporal assignation (early Late Holocene, late Late Holocene), and sex (female and male). We found clear regional and temporal differentiation, which we interpret as resulting from differential use of plant resources among the regions and a slight deterioration in oral health in the Late Holocene. Stable isotope analysis indicates food consumption of C3 and C4 resources, although the observed temporal variations in the isotopic values may indicate an introduction of C4 resources in the later Late Holocene, mainly in the mountainous region.

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of subsistence strategies and dietary habits of the human populations that inhabited the central region of Argentina during the Late Holocene through the evaluation of physiological stress indicators (pattern and degree of tooth wear). The samples correspond to a total of 61 individuals (19 females and 42 males) recovered from 36 archaeological sites located

The aim of this work is to study, from a bioarchaeological perspective, the diet and oral health of the populations that inhabited Central Argentina in two periods which would reflect changes in subsistence strategies: earlier late Holocene (ca. 2500-1500 years BP) and later late Holocene (ca.1500-400 years BP). The sample is composed by 83 adult individuals from 47 archaeological sites. We considered five non-specific indicators of stress, infectious and degenerative diseases: hypoplasia of dental enamel, dental caries, abscesses, antemortem teeth loss, and calculus. We also considered hypercementosis, dens in dens, and agenesis. We test intraobserver error by means of intraclass correlation coefficient and analysis of variance of repeated measures. We calculated prevalence by sex, age, geographic subregion, and chronological period. We applied Chi-square (X 2 ) to test statistical significance of observed differences. Considering the sample as a whole, low prevalence of dental caries (10.27%), abscesses (16.52%), and hypoplasia (10.84%) are coincident with values observed for populations with mixed or hunter-gathering subsistence strategy. In later late Holocene, high incidence of caries should be considered as indicator of consumption of C4 vegetables or other carbohydrate-rich vegetables, such as legumes of Prosopis sp. Also, moderate values of dental enamel hypoplasia should be related with metabolic-systemic stress episodes. Summarizing, these results are coincident with isotopic, archaeological, and ethnohistorical evidences which suggest climatic, social, and demographic pressures that might have affected the lifestyle of these populations before the Spanish conquest.

RESUMENEn el presente trabajo se exponen los resultados de los trabajos bioarqueológicos realizados entre 2006 y 2012 en 8 sitios arqueológicos ubicados en la costa sur de la Laguna Mar Chiquita, noreste de Córdoba, Argentina. La intervención en dichos sitios se produjo en el marco de un programa de arqueología pública, solicitada por museos públicos y vecinos de la región. En total, se identificaron restos óseos de 11 individuos adultos. Se presenta la descripción arqueológica de los sitios, la caracterización bioarqueológica y las paleopatologías identificadas en los restos, así como las prácticas mortuorias. En cuanto a la cronología de los hallazgos, se realizaron 6 fechados radiocarbónicos sobre el material esqueletal, que permiten ubicar a los restos entre 4058 ± 89 y 487 ± 45 años 14 C AP.Palabras clave: Arqueología Pública, Bioarqueología, Laguna Mar Chiquita, Córdoba, Argentina ABSTRACTIn this paper we describe the results of bioarchaeological research conducted between 2006 and 2012 in 8 archaeological sites located on the southern coast of the Laguna Mar Chiquita, northeast Córdoba, Argentina. Intervention in such sites occurred in the context of archaeological rescue activities requested by public museums and residents of the region. We identified human remains of eleven adult individuals. In this paper we present the description of the archaeological sites, bioarchaeological analysis of the human remains, paleopathology and mortuary practices. We obtained six radiocarbon dates on skeletal material, which allows to locate the remains between 4058 ± 89 and 487 ± 45 C 14 years BP.