ABSTRACT
While stable isotope analysis of preserved human tissues holds considerable promise for the characterization of ancient human subsistence, certain questions remain difficult to resolve in a conclusive manner. A variety of local factors, including poor preservation and the complexity of available foodwebs, can combine to make even relatively coarse dietary determinations (e.g. foraging versus fishing versus farming) difficult. Such is the case for prehistoric Puerto Rico, where taphonomic hostility and an incredibly variegated isoscape make the characterization of the subsistence modes of the island’s prehistoric peoples, and in particular its earliest inhabitants, a frustratingly contingent exercise. These difficulties are illustrated here through a consideration of isotopic data gleaned from over 200 individuals representing almost the entire sweep of the prehistoric human occupation of the island.
