Isotopes of feather art: location, husbandry, production and antiquity

The provenance, antiquity, duration of production, animal husbandry and geographical location of materials used to make one of the largest feather art objects ever produced are explored via analysis of four stable isotopes (δ2H, δ18O, δ13C and δ15N) combined with radiocarbon measurements. We document the monotonously fed rearing of thousands of captive macaws in the Amazon region and the acquisition of camelid fibres from the high Andes to produce ninety-six large feather panels. Multiple radiocarbon dates from both feathers and fibres confirm the Wari (600–100 AD) origin of the panels and suggest a short and intensive production schedule. Stable isotopes document the collection of materials that took the artisans over hundreds of kilometres from the Amazon to near the Pacific coast.