scholarly journals Diet uniformity at an early farming community in northwest Anatolia (Turkey): carbon and nitrogen isotope studies of bone collagen at Aktopraklık

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2123-2135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea Budd ◽  
Necmi Karul ◽  
Songül Alpaslan-Roodenberg ◽  
Alfred Galik ◽  
Rick Schulting ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Early Farming ◽  
Isotope Studies

scholarly journals Re-approaching palaeodiet in the Andes: use and application of sulphur isotope analysis in reconstructing Peruvian palaeodiet

COMPASS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine G. Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Faunal Remains ◽  
Sulphur Isotope ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Direct Indication ◽  
Application Potential ◽  
Isotope Studies

This research critically examines palaeodietary analyses in ancient Peru. Research is often approached using ceramics, flora, and faunal remains to examine human diet and behaviour prior to written records however these remains may not be indicative of items used exclusively for subsistence. More directed approaches employ stable isotope analyses of human remains as these data can provide direct indication of foods consumed during life. Peruvian isotope studies focus on 13C-enrichment patterns, and follow the premise that maize (corn) was the main source of 13C-enrichment recorded in bone collagen. Recent studies in Peru have identified other dietary sources that cause similar enrichment patterns, including kiwicha (pseudocereal), marine protein (e.g. shellfish, fish, and seals), and mococho (seaweed). As a result, additional methodologies must be employed to more sufficiently identify sources of subsistence in ancient Peru. I propose that stable sulphur isotope methodology may be used to overcome the issues presented. By critically reviewing previous palaeodietary analyses of Peru I examine current limitations and overview the application potential of carbon and nitrogen isotope studies complemented with sulphur isotope analysis of human and faunal remains within a Peruvian context. Ultimately I advocate for a more comprehensive approach to Peruvian palaeodiet.

Diet and subsistence mode of Neolithic Yuan-Shan people in Taiwan: Perspective from carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of bone collagen

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 18-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng-Yi Lee ◽  
Maa-Ling Chen ◽  
Peter Ditchfield ◽  
Li-Hung Lin ◽  
Pei-Ling Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Isotope Analyses

Carbon and nitrogen isotope signals in eel bone collagen from Mesolithic and Neolithic sites in northern Europe

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 2003-2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry Robson ◽  
Søren Andersen ◽  
Oliver Craig ◽  
Anders Fischer ◽  
Aikaterini Glykou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen

How ‘Best’ to Determine Trophic Levels in Archaeological Agricultural Communities

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Reynard
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Trophic Level ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Isotope Ratios ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Agricultural Communities ◽  
Plant Remains ◽  
Isotope System

Stable isotope ratios of bone collagen have been used to determine trophic levels in diverse archaeological populations. The longest established and arguably most successful isotope system has been nitrogen, followed by carbon, and more recently hydrogen. These trophic level proxies rely on a predictable change in isotope ratio with each trophic level step; however, this requirement may not always be met, which can lead to difficulties in interpreting archaeological evidence. In agricultural communities, in particular, there are several possible complications to the interpretation of nitrogen and carbon isotopes. Recent approaches to overcome these limitations include better quantification and understanding of the influences on consumer isotope ratios; inclusion of evidence from plant remains; further investigation of apatite δ13C—collagen δ13C spacing in bones; measurement of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in individual amino acids, rather than collagen; and development of other stable isotope proxies for trophic level, such as hydrogen isotopes.

EXAMINING CHRONOLOGICAL TRENDS IN ANCIENT MAYA DIET AT MINANHA, BELIZE, USING THE STABLE ISOTOPES OF CARBON AND NITROGEN

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn S. Williams ◽  
Shannen M. Stronge ◽  
Gyles Iannone ◽  
Fred J. Longstaffe
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Ancient Maya ◽  
Ruling Elite ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Isotope Data ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

We present the results of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of bone collagen and bone bioapatite from the ancient Maya center of Minanha, Belize (ca. 100 B.C. to A.D. 1260). The purpose of this research was to reconstruct diet and investigate the influence of sociopolitical and environmental factors. Overall, diet was relatively stable over time, with maize being a staple in all periods. Maize consumption reached its peak in the transitional Early to Middle Classic periods and decreased over time. When isotope data from dry periods were compared to normal periods, there were no significant differences, although comparisons of isotope data by burial location and type suggest that the apical or ruling elite consumed a more diverse diet, with more animal protein, relative to the lesser elites. The temporal variability in maize consumption seems best explained by sociopolitical factors documented at Minanha and within the Vaca Plateau. This study demonstrates the resilience of ancient subsistence practices in the face of climatic instability and highlights the impact that social and political factors can have on diet and subsistence economy.

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