Jaguar and puma captivity and trade among the Maya: Stable isotope data from Copan, Honduras

A new analysis of stable isotope data from the Maya site of Copán, Honduras (A.D. 426–822), reveals that jaguars and pumas were systematically managed through captivity and trade for ritual purposes. Two distinct dietary regimes—one enriched with C4 plant inputs indicative of artificial feeding, the other dominated by natural C3 signatures—were identified among felid remains from public and private rituals, including those in Altar Q and Motmot caches. This pattern, combined with species-specific oxygen isotope variations, suggests an extensive faunal trade network operating across the Copán Valley. The findings demonstrate that wild animals were intentionally brought into human settlements to be processed into secondary goods or used ritually, providing direct evidence for the Maya's sophisticated animal management practices during the Classic period.

Sugiyama, N., Fash, W. L., & France, C. A. M. (2018). Jaguar and puma captivity and trade among the Maya: Stable isotope data from Copan, Honduras. Plos One, 13(9), e0202958. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202958