The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest

Summary: Native American societies suffered a profund deterioration of health under European colonization. In addition, diet diversity and nutritional quality decreased whereas workloads and violence increased considerably. Social and cultural consequences of such contact have been well documented...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Miguel Burbano Delgado
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad del Valle 2017-09-01
Series:Revista Estomatologâia
Online Access:https://entornogeografico.univalle.edu.co/index.php/revista_estomatologia/article/view/5664
_version_ 1797317578650025984
author Miguel Burbano Delgado
author_facet Miguel Burbano Delgado
author_sort Miguel Burbano Delgado
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Native American societies suffered a profund deterioration of health under European colonization. In addition, diet diversity and nutritional quality decreased whereas workloads and violence increased considerably. Social and cultural consequences of such contact have been well documented by archaeology, history and ethno-history. However, the true biological impact is poorly understood. This paper assess the biological impact of the European arrival to northern South America through the study of human skeletal remains of two native Colonial societies from the post-contact period in the Colombian South West. The first sample came from “El Alto del Rey” (ca 1200-1600 a.C), at Cauca Department, and the second from “Maridías” (1615-1720 a.C), types of dental diseases were obtained as well as physiological stress indicators and stable isotopes ratios of carbon (12C y 13C) and nitrogen (15N). These data were used to try to determine food intake, dietary diversity, nutrition, and the state of oral health of the Colombian native communities under Spanish control. Dental paleopathological analyses showed a high increase in the rates of caries, dental calculus, periodontal disease, antemortem tooth loose (AMTL) and enamel hypoplasias In agreement with these results, the isotope analysis reveals an abrupt increase in the plants rich in carbohydrates consumption and high dependency on plants such as corn and other grains. Changes were more considerable in Maridías than in El Alto del Rey, since the former was exposed to a longer and more direct colonial contact. In addition, this study suggests deep changes in diet, health and way of life of these communities. The bioarchaeological analysis of human skeletal remains represents an important source for a better understanding of the dynamics of the biocultural change resulting from colonization in Colombia. Key words: Paleopathology. Post-contact period. Dental diseases. Stable isotopes. Paleodiet. Oral health. Colombian Southwest.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T03:37:01Z
format Article
id doaj.art-40ca0eec290546a5b6016a4c4e78898e
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0121-3873
2248-7220
language Spanish
last_indexed 2024-03-08T03:37:01Z
publishDate 2017-09-01
publisher Universidad del Valle
record_format Article
series Revista Estomatologâia
spelling doaj.art-40ca0eec290546a5b6016a4c4e78898e2024-02-10T01:47:25ZspaUniversidad del ValleRevista Estomatologâia0121-38732248-72202017-09-0115310.25100/re.v15i3.5664The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian SouthwestMiguel Burbano Delgado Summary: Native American societies suffered a profund deterioration of health under European colonization. In addition, diet diversity and nutritional quality decreased whereas workloads and violence increased considerably. Social and cultural consequences of such contact have been well documented by archaeology, history and ethno-history. However, the true biological impact is poorly understood. This paper assess the biological impact of the European arrival to northern South America through the study of human skeletal remains of two native Colonial societies from the post-contact period in the Colombian South West. The first sample came from “El Alto del Rey” (ca 1200-1600 a.C), at Cauca Department, and the second from “Maridías” (1615-1720 a.C), types of dental diseases were obtained as well as physiological stress indicators and stable isotopes ratios of carbon (12C y 13C) and nitrogen (15N). These data were used to try to determine food intake, dietary diversity, nutrition, and the state of oral health of the Colombian native communities under Spanish control. Dental paleopathological analyses showed a high increase in the rates of caries, dental calculus, periodontal disease, antemortem tooth loose (AMTL) and enamel hypoplasias In agreement with these results, the isotope analysis reveals an abrupt increase in the plants rich in carbohydrates consumption and high dependency on plants such as corn and other grains. Changes were more considerable in Maridías than in El Alto del Rey, since the former was exposed to a longer and more direct colonial contact. In addition, this study suggests deep changes in diet, health and way of life of these communities. The bioarchaeological analysis of human skeletal remains represents an important source for a better understanding of the dynamics of the biocultural change resulting from colonization in Colombia. Key words: Paleopathology. Post-contact period. Dental diseases. Stable isotopes. Paleodiet. Oral health. Colombian Southwest. https://entornogeografico.univalle.edu.co/index.php/revista_estomatologia/article/view/5664
spellingShingle Miguel Burbano Delgado
The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest
Revista Estomatologâia
title The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest
title_full The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest
title_fullStr The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest
title_full_unstemmed The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest
title_short The impact of the Spanish colonization: Paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in Native colonial societies from the Colombian Southwest
title_sort impact of the spanish colonization paleopathological and isotopic evidences of changes in oral health and dietary diversity in native colonial societies from the colombian southwest
url https://entornogeografico.univalle.edu.co/index.php/revista_estomatologia/article/view/5664
work_keys_str_mv AT miguelburbanodelgado theimpactofthespanishcolonizationpaleopathologicalandisotopicevidencesofchangesinoralhealthanddietarydiversityinnativecolonialsocietiesfromthecolombiansouthwest
AT miguelburbanodelgado impactofthespanishcolonizationpaleopathologicalandisotopicevidencesofchangesinoralhealthanddietarydiversityinnativecolonialsocietiesfromthecolombiansouthwest