Human migration at Classic period Teotihuacan (AD 1-550): advances in multi-isotopic analyses and isoscape development in central Mexico

Abstract: The ancient city of Teotihuacan (AD 1-550) in central Mexico was the most populous urban center in Mesoamerica during the Classic period and a multi-ethnic hub that attracted migrants from all corners of this expansive region. For the past 20 years, strontium and oxygen isotope analyses have shaped how scholars interpret human mobility and migration in this great city. However, past studies here have viewed migration as a static demographic process and have not considered the dynamic diachronic changes in population that are common to urban areas. This presentation couples a multi-isotope approach with radiocarbon dating to better explore fluxations in migration across centuries at Teotihuacan. This talk will also examine widespread cultural factors that likely had a significant impact on the diet of these individuals and hence, the measured isotopic signatures reported by modern-day researchers. Finally, Buckley will discuss new data collection during her 2022 field season and future endeavors for building isoscapes in Mexico to expand migration studies in this region.