Evidence of osteoarthritis in the Tiwanaku Colony, Moquegua, Peru ( AD 500–1100)

A study of the Tiwanaku Colony in Moquegua, Peru (AD 500–1100) reveals that osteoarthritis patterns among its inhabitants were more influenced by age-at-death and sex than by subsistence lifestyle differences. Despite examining two distinct groups—Chen Chen-style (agrarian) and Omo-style (pastoralist)—researchers found no significant variations in osteoarthritis evidence between them. Instead, the study identified skeletal changes linked to specific tasks, supporting the cultural norm that labor began at a young age, with children as young as 5–8 years old engaging in light chores. The analysis of 25 joint surfaces from five sites, while controlling for age and sex, suggests that occupational stress manifested differently across genders and life stages, rather than between subsistence groups.

Becker, S. K., & Goldstein, P. S. (2017). Evidence of osteoarthritis in the Tiwanaku Colony, Moquegua, Peru (AD500–1100). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 28(1), 54–64. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2634