Multi-isotope analysis of mammal bones provides environmental context for the adoption of agriculture in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico

Understanding the environmental context in which agriculture emerged requires proxy records that capture local ecological conditions through time, yet long-term datasets from archaeologically well-dated contexts remain limited. We generated stable isotope measurements from archaeological faunal remains spanning the Late Pleistocene through Late Holocene sequence of the Tehuacan Valley of Puebla, Mexico, including deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and rabbit (Sylvilagus spp.) specimens recovered from multiple sites and cultural phases within the valley. The dataset includes δ13C and δ18O values from bone bioapatite and δ13C and δ15N values from bone collagen, together with specimen metadata, archaeological context information, and indicators of skeletal preservation and diagenesis used to assess data quality.

To facilitate interpretation and reproducibility, the repository also contains analytical workflows used to evaluate temporal variation in isotope values, including generalized additive modeling and a Bayesian stable isotope mixing approach used to estimate environmental composition through time. Reference isotope values for modeled environmental categories are provided to support replication and comparative applications. The data document temporal variation in vegetation structure and moisture conditions across major cultural transitions in the region and provide a comparative baseline for paleoenvironmental reconstruction and zooarchaeological research in other archaeological and ecological settings. All specimens derive from curated collections in Mexico that were analyzed with appropriate institutional permissions, and no sensitive information is included.