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Sled dogs were an integral part of Labrador Inuit life from the initial expansion and settlement of northeastern Canada to the present day. Tasked with pulling sleds and assisting people with other subsistence activities in the winter, dogs required regular provisioning with protein and fat. In this paper, we conduct stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio analysis of the skeletal remains of dogs (n=35) and wild fauna (n=68) from sites located on the north and south coasts of Labrador to characterize dog provisioning between the 15th to early 19th centuries. In addition, we analyse bone (n=20) and dentine (n=4) collagen from dogs from Double Mer Point, a communal house site in Hamilton Inlet to investigate how dog diets intersected with Inuit subsistence and trade activities at a local level. We find that dog diets were largely composed of marine mammal protein, but that dogs on the north coast consumed more caribou and fish relative to dogs from the central and south coast sites. The diets of dogs from Double Mer Point were the most heterogenous of any site, suggesting long-distance movement of people and/or animals along the coast. ArchSci2020

We review the major stable carbon and nitrogen isotope studies conducted on human remains in the North American Arctic (NAA) and discuss the findings with respect to two major research themes: diachronic subsistence, and the development of food cultures across the NAA. The interpretation of stable isotope data from human bone collagen and hair keratin is complicated by issues of equifinality in addition to uncertainty arising from the high fat/high protein diets of Arctic hunter gatherers. We suggest future lines of inquiry which may help to alleviate some of these challenges. Our review of Arctic stable isotope studies shows the ongoing potential of stable isotope analysis of Arctic hunter-gatherers and faunal populations, but we include the caveat that regardless of how cutting-edge or refined the analytical method, future stable isotope studies must be contextualized with other lines of evidence from well-excavated sites, and would profoundly benefit from the incorporation of indigenous perspectives and research priorities.

Here we report the discovery of an Archaic period stemmed and barbed point from the site of Tenam Puente, Chiapas, Mexico. The point was discovered in the rubble fill used to modify a large Late Classic to Early Postclassic period plaza. The point bears a strong resemblance to Lowe points (12000–9300 CalBP) recovered from Belize, and Pedernales-style points discovered elsewhere in Mesoamerica (8700 CalBP). It is the second point of this style identified from highland Chiapas to date. SPANISH: El artículo reporta el hallazgo de una punta de proyectil del periodo Arcaico, con pedúnculo y aletas, del sitio arqueológico Tenam Puente, Chiapas, México. La punta se ubicó en el relleno de cantos de piedra caliza utilizados para modificar una gran plaza del periodo de transición entre el Clásico Tardío y el Posclásico Temprano. La forma de la punta de proyectil es muy parecida a las puntas Lowe (12000–9300 CalBP) halladas en Belice y a las puntas de estilo Pedernales localizadas en otras partes de Mesoamérica (8700 CalBP). Es la segunda punta de este estilo encontrada en los Altos de Chiapas hasta la fecha.

Raw data for the ElSx-5 specimen stable isotope dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.

Raw data for the Hurricane Island [ElTb-1] macroinvertebrate dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.

Raw data for the ElSx-4 macroinvertebrate dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.

Raw data for the Hunter Island [ElTa-25] specimen stable isotope dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.

Raw data for the ElSx-10 specimen stable isotope dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.

Raw data for the Namu [ElSx-1] macroinvertebrate dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.

Raw data for the Hurricane Island [ElTb-1] specimen stable isotope dataset obtained from the Neotoma Paleoecology Database.