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

Abstract

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.