Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32803-1631, United States.
Department of Anthropology, Georgia State University, PO Box 3998, Atlanta, GA 30302-3998, United States.
Int J Paleopathol. 2020 Jun;29:117-127. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.11.002. Epub 2020 Jun 4.
This paper reviews the significant advances in isotopic investigations in Andean South America and directs scholars to explore new theoretical and analytical directions, specifically the applicability of isotope data to paleopathology. Excellent preservation and large skeletal collections of human remains make the Central Andes ideal for biogeochemical reconstructions and advancements in isotopic methods. Our aims are twofold: first, we present a meta-analysis of stable and radiogenic isotope research in the Central Andes since 1985, and highlight those that combine analyses of isotope ratios and pathological conditions. Second, we discuss useful directions for incorporating stable isotope analysis more explicitly in studies of paleopathology in the Andes more in the future. Principle research foci have described dietary variation and regional population mobility since the 1980s, where early methodological explorations identified significant trends in isotopic variation. For the years 1980-2017, we identified 96 scholarly publications through a meta-data analysis of major peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings. These demonstrate specific trends in topical and methodological preferences across the Andean region and a shift from 10 publications pre-1997 to 67 in the last 10 years. However, combined isotope and paleopathology studies in this region remain sparse; given the ecological, geological, and cultural complexity of the Central Andes, analyses of pathological conditions in different regions would significantly benefit from the information on diet, mobility, and local ecology that isotope ratios provide. Isotope analysis requires destruction of archaeological tissues, and interpreting isotope data can be complex, but it can also provide unique insights into the pathogenesis of multifactorial conditions and assist differential diagnosis. Therefore, we also discuss research designs for pairing isotopic and paleopathological variables that will allow researchers to better capture disease ecologies in archaeological samples and their variation across different regions, within related sites, and within individual lifespans.
本文综述了安第斯南美洲同位素研究的重要进展，并引导学者探索新的理论和分析方向，特别是同位素数据在古病理学中的应用。中安第斯地区的人类遗骸保存完好且骨骼收藏丰富，非常适合进行生物地球化学重建和同位素方法的改进。我们的目标有两个：首先，我们对 1985 年以来中安第斯地区的稳定和放射性同位素研究进行了元分析，并强调了那些结合了同位素比值和病理状况分析的研究。其次，我们讨论了在未来更明确地将稳定同位素分析纳入安第斯古病理学研究的有用方向。自 20 世纪 80 年代以来，主要研究重点一直是描述饮食变化和区域人口流动，早期的方法探索确定了同位素变化的显著趋势。1980 年至 2017 年，我们通过对主要同行评议期刊、专着章节和会议论文集的元数据分析，确定了 96 篇学术出版物。这些出版物展示了安第斯地区的主题和方法偏好的具体趋势，以及 1997 年之前 10 篇出版物到过去 10 年 67 篇出版物的转变。然而，该地区的同位素和古病理学综合研究仍然很少；鉴于中安第斯地区的生态、地质和文化复杂性，不同地区病理状况的分析将从饮食、迁移和局部生态等方面的同位素比值信息中受益。同位素分析需要破坏考古组织，且解释同位素数据可能很复杂，但它也可以为多因素条件的发病机制提供独特的见解，并有助于鉴别诊断。因此，我们还讨论了将同位素和古病理学变量配对的研究设计，这些设计将使研究人员能够更好地捕获考古样本中的疾病生态及其在不同地区、相关地点和个体生命跨度内的变化。
