A tale of two turkeys: Assessing the domestication status and origins of turkey remains (Meleagris gallopavo) from the 18th century Machault shipwreck through ancient DNA and stable isotope analysis

Launched in 1758, the Machault was a French privateering frigate that was scuttled in 1760 near the mouth of the Restigouche River, Canada, during the Battle of the Restigouche. Excavations of the Machault shipwreck have recovered a large faunal assemblage that is comprised mainly of domesticates, namely domestic cattle ( Bos taurus ) and pig ( Sus domesticus ), but also includes several piscine, wild and domestic avian, and wild mammalian taxa. Among the avian remains recovered from the wreck were two turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ) specimens. Here, we used stable isotope and ancient mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis to determine whether these turkey specimens represent domesticated or wild individuals and explore their potential origins. Our genetic data indicate both specimens exhibit mtDNA control region haplotypes predominately found among modern domestic turkeys, and south Mexican wild turkeys (wild progenitor of domestic turkeys), suggesting they are from domesticated stocks. The isotopic data indicate the specimens have high δ 13 C and low δ 15 N values consistent with the consumption of human-provisioned maize. As maize was not commonly grown during the 18th century by settler populations in what is now Canada, this isotopic evidence for its consumption by the Machault turkeys suggests they may have originated from Anglo-American colonies to the south where the crop was an agricultural staple and were perhaps procured from seized British vessels. When taken together with zooarchaeological and textual data regarding the origins of other fauna recovered from the wreck, these data indicate the Machault ’s crew drew on multiple supply chains for provisions.