Skeletal health and patterns of animal food consumption at S3W1:33 (Tlajinga 33), Teotihuacan

Food at Teotihuacan was more likely affected by social inequality than by availability. The skeletons from Tlajinga 33 have high prevalence of skeletal indicators of morbidity. Since this was a lower-status compound of artisans, this could be due to poor diet, as well as an unhygienic environment. Analysis of faunal remains suggests that animal remains were an important and plentiful component of the diet. However, most consist of insects, small fish, reptiles, avian eggs, and small mammals. Of particular importance is the size and nutritional value of these dietary items, as many would be considered vermin which were available solely because of attraction to stored foods. It is important to employ proper recovery techniques to eliminate bias in size of animal remains to obtain an accurate understanding of the total diet. We demonstrate that there was adequate animal protein in the Tlajinga 33 diet, but it was very different than what is usually considered “animal protein.” Thus, the residents had access to a nutritious and balanced diet, and this information eliminates protein deficiency as cause of the morbidity. Instead, the focus is on the urban environment and any status disadvantages faced by residents dependent on market exchange for staple foods.