Life and death at Teposcolula Yucundaa: Mortuary, archaeogenetic, and isotopic investigations of the early colonial period in Mexico

Two mid-16th century cemeteries are investigated at the Mixtec site of Teposcolula Yucundaa and shown to be related to the unidentified cocoliztli pandemic of 1545-1548. Through archaeogenetic and oxygen stable isotope analysis it is shown that the interred individuals are local Mixtecs, and mortuary analysis sheds light on both Christian and traditional religious practices at the site. Mitochondrial haplogroup frequencies do not support severe population bottlenecking during the 16th century epidemic period, and carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis does not support a shift away from maize consumption, despite evidence for increased wheat production at the site. In order to further refine Middle American stable isotope-based paleodietary models, a large-scale empirical study was conducted on the isotopic diversity of regional crop plants, and an experimental feeding study in swine was developed to determine the isotopic effects of nixtamalization on mineralized tissues.