Towards Absolute Time: Guano Archaeology

Kubler, George

doi:10.1017/s0081130000000332

Cited by 22 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…Recently, the notion that animal manure may have influenced the δ 15 N values of plants grown in prehistoric Europe has been proposed [138] – [140] and integrated into regional paleodietary studies. In the Andean region, several fertilizers are thought to have been of some importance in prehispanic agriculture including llama dung [141] and seabird guano [9] , [142] , [143] . Based on the large settlements that developed on the coast of Peru (e.g.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry of Seabird Guano Fertilization: Results from Growth Chamber Studies with Maize (Zea Mays)

et al. 2012

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Background Stable isotope analysis is being utilized with increasing regularity to examine a wide range of issues (diet, habitat use, migration) in ecology, geology, archaeology, and related disciplines. A crucial component to these studies is a thorough understanding of the range and causes of baseline isotopic variation, which is relatively poorly understood for nitrogen (δ 15 N). Animal excrement is known to impact plant δ 15 N values, but the effects of seabird guano have not been systematically studied from an agricultural or horticultural standpoint. Methodology/Principal Findings This paper presents isotopic (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) and vital data for maize ( Zea mays ) fertilized with Peruvian seabird guano under controlled conditions. The level of 15 N enrichment in fertilized plants is very large, with δ 15 N values ranging between 25.5 and 44.7‰ depending on the tissue and amount of fertilizer applied; comparatively, control plant δ 15 N values ranged between −0.3 and 5.7‰. Intraplant and temporal variability in δ 15 N values were large, particularly for the guano-fertilized plants, which can be attributed to changes in the availability of guano-derived N over time, and the reliance of stored vs. absorbed N. Plant δ 13 C values were not significantly impacted by guano fertilization. High concentrations of seabird guano inhibited maize germination and maize growth. Moreover, high levels of seabird guano greatly impacted the N metabolism of the plants, resulting in significantly higher tissue N content, particularly in the stalk. Conclusions/Significance The results presented in this study demonstrate the very large impact of seabird guano on maize δ 15 N values. The use of seabird guano as a fertilizer can thus be traced using stable isotope analysis in food chemistry applications (certification of organic inputs). Furthermore, the fertilization of maize with seabird guano creates an isotopic signature very similar to a high-trophic level marine resource, which must be considered when interpreting isotopic data from archaeological material.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry of Seabird Guano Fertilization: Results from Growth Chamber Studies with Maize (Zea Mays)

et al. 2012

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“…A esto le siguio ´el proyecto conjunto de Kubler sobre la cronologı ´a moche que realizo ´junto con el biogeoquı ´mico G. Evelyn Hutchinson usando los datos de las islas guaneras. El proyecto, titulado "Towards Absolute Time: Guano Archaeology" y publicado en 1948, 13 constituyo ún interesante esfuerzo por elaborar una cronologı ´a de la cera ´mica moche excavada durante el periodo de explotacio ´n del guano y que fuera fechable en funcio ´n a los niveles de guano. Aparte de sus investigaciones generales sobre el arte precolombino, e ´ste es el u ´nico estudio que Kubler realizo ´especı ´ficamente sobre el arte andino, aunque en realidad tiene poco que ver con un estudio sobre arte ya que establece una cronologı ´a absoluta.…”

Section: T H O M a S B F C U M M I N Sunclassified

“…Un mestizo itinerante…”

Cummins¹

2021

Latin American and Latinx Visual Culture

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“…To show their gratitude for the extracted guano, both the Moche and the Chincha societies had a tradition of providing offerings to the seabird guano clusters of the islands of Chincha (Kubler 1948). This worship was of a ritual and symbolic character for the guano islands identified as ‘the ones that give birth to the birds’ (Rostworowski 1992).…”

Section: Inca Conservation Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

The importance of guano birds to the Inca Empire and the first conservation measures implemented by humans

Rodrigues

Micael

2020

Ibis

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The Inca Empire was the largest ancient civilization in South America, extending across almost 4000 km of distinct environments from the Pacific coast to the Andes, and throughout most of the arid desert between. The present study highlights the importance of guano birds (Guanay Cormorant Leucocarbo bougainvillii, Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus and Peruvian Booby Sula variegata) for the expansion and prosperity of the Inca Empire. The use of guano as a fertilizer was fundamental to sustain the agricultural development of the empire and, it has been argued, was the basis for its rapid growth. The access to guano on coastal islands and its subsequent transportation to highlands provided food security for a population of more than 8 million. The importance of guano birds to the Inca Empire led to the development of management plans based on a penal code aiming to preserve these species and their natural habitats. These protective actions may represent the first conservation measures ever implemented by humans based on the importance of species protection for human activities and livelihoods.

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Towards Absolute Time: Guano Archaeology

Cited by 22 publications

References 0 publications

Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry of Seabird Guano Fertilization: Results from Growth Chamber Studies with Maize (Zea Mays)

Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry of Seabird Guano Fertilization: Results from Growth Chamber Studies with Maize (Zea Mays)

“…Un mestizo itinerante…”

The importance of guano birds to the Inca Empire and the first conservation measures implemented by humans

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