Children’s Teeth Reveal Breastfeeding Practices in Ancient Peru

LIMA, PERU—According to a report in La Prensa Latina, bioarchaeologist Luis Pezo-Lanfranco conducted a chemical analysis of the teeth of 48 children who were buried some 2,500 years ago in the ancient city of Caral, which is located on Peru’s northern coast. The study suggests that most of the children were breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life, and were weaned at about 2.6 years of age. Pezo-Lanfranco said Caral, known as the “sacred city,” dates back some 5,000 years, but few human remains have been preserved for further study of breastfeeding patterns. For more on women in Caral society, go to “A Life Story.”