Hunting to herding on the Andean Altiplano: Zooarchaeological insights into Archaic Period subsistence in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Peru (9.0–3.5 ka)

Abstract

This study examines the subsistence strategies of Archaic Period inhabitants (9.0–3.5 cal. ka) of the Lake Titicaca Basin, located in the high Andes of South America. Faunal data from three Archaic Period sites in the Ilave region of Peru are used to explore the dietary habits of early foragers spanning over five millennia. Comparative analysis reveals heavy investment in camelids, with deer serving as a secondary meat. Small mammals, fish, and birds are virtually absent from the assemblages. We further observe increasing emphasis on camelids relative to deer over time, suggesting a shift from hunting to management during the period of investigation. We fail to find evidence of diet breadth expansion, risk averse foraging, or climate-induced subsistence changes. The observations align with previous studies that document a transition from camelid hunting to herding in other regions of the high Andes. The findings provide preliminary evidence of early camelid management in a suspected domestication center and contribute key insights into the economic strategies that facilitated the emergence of agropastoral economies and socioeconomic complexity in the Lake Titicaca Basin.