Biocultural roots of diversity and inequality in Mexico: 500 years of mestizo stories

Introduction

Transatlantic contact during the 1400s ignited a series of socio-economic, political, demographic, and biocultural changes that irreversibly transformed the course of history in the Americas with repercussions across the world.

Key Encounter

One of the most influential encounters occurred in 1519 between the Mexica empire and the Spanish and African troops of Hernán Cortés in the basin of today’s Mexico. The transformational consequences were unparalleled at the time, but equally consequential is the way that the so-called conquest of Mexico has been portrayed over the last five centuries. This portrayal has influenced how the populations involved in this iconic event have perceived themselves and their societies over time.

Significance of Mestizaje

Of particular significance is the process of mestizaje (admixture) and its conceptualization. Admixture is a common biological phenomenon in human history, but the perception of mestizaje in the context of this event is far more complex than a mere biological procedure. It is a complex biocultural process shaped by fluctuating social, cultural, biological, and historic circumstantial events.

Recent Commemorations

The recently commemorated quincentennial anniversary of this event and the debates surrounding it highlighted that the underlying biocultural forces driving mestizaje, leading to the present-day population diversity of Mexico, remain contested.

Project Overview: AdMEXture

AdMEXture will explore historical biological effects of social inequalities with particular emphasis on:

1. Sex bias
2. Differential reproduction patterns
3. The survival and distribution of diversity

By generating serial multisource osteobiographies based on the latest experimental and analytical bioarchaeological techniques, AdMEXture will deliver crucial data to be incorporated in state-of-the-art historic debates.

Contribution to History

These individual microhistories will provide examples of real participants in this process, contributing to a more inclusive and representative history.