Stable Isotope Analysis

The paper presents the results of research on bone artifacts from the Maima culture settlement of Chultukov Log-9. The site is dated to the Xiongnu-Xianbei period, specifically from the 3rd to the first half of the 6th century AD; its estimated area is around 5,000 square meters. The research involved the examination of 42 objects and the collection of 7,540 movable artifacts, of which approximately 4800 were made of bone. The site also revealed evidence of an advanced bone craft industry, evident not only in numerous bone and antler objects but also in the substantial accumulation of semi-finished products, waste materials, and tools used by craftsmen. Some of them were thoroughly examined in the presented paper, both based on literature, including ethnographic analogies, and through experimental replication of artifacts and their use. As a result, information was obtained regarding the possible applications of such tools as the U-shaped tools made from pelvis bones, spindle whorl, the tool made from deer scapula and the object made from the horse navicular bone. Bone tools continued to dominate in many crafts in southern Siberia during the late Iron Age (Xiongnu-Xianbei period). Experimental studies clearly demonstrate the validity of adhering to such traditions. Horse bones played a significant role as they provided material for tools used in various branches of traditional craftsmanship.

L'Asingeran Excavation Project (AEP), avviato nel 2018 con un permesso ufficiale di scavo archeologico rinnovato nel 2024 per altri 5 anni, si pone come principale obiettivo la ricostruzione degli eventi e delle dinamiche sociali ed economiche che hanno rivoluzionato la vita delle comunità stanziate nella Pianura di Navkur fra Neolitico e Calcolitico (VII-IV mill. a.C.). Il quadro a livello generale è abbastanza noto e individua in questi due periodi il momento chiave che segna la trasformazione delle società mesopotamiche in comunità caratterizzate da crescenti forme di complessità con struttura sociale ed economica maggiormente unificata e consolidata. Dati recenti indicano tuttavia che questa ricostruzione potrebbe aver avuto diverse varianti a livello locale o micro regionale. AEP indaga questo aspetto concentrando le indagini nella Pianura di Navkur, un territorio assai fertile e ricco di acqua collocato a ridosso delle propaggini meridionali della catena degli Zagros, più o meno a metà strada fra le moderne città di Erbil e Dohuk. Fino ad oggi, il progetto ha indagato due siti chiave: Asingeran (dal 2018) e Kanispan 740 (dal 2024). Nel primo è documentata la presenza di livelli insediativi datati al Calcolitico (ca. V-IV mill. a.C.) mentre nel secondo sono state rinvenute chiare tracce di occupazione risalente al Neolitico Ceramico (VII mill. a.C.). Nel corso del 2025-2026 è prevista l'apertura di ulteriori indagini nel sito Kanispan 812, databile al tardo Neolitico Ceramico (ca. VI mill. a.C.).

Andrea Cucina, Alfredo Coppa, Claudia Arganini, Francesca Candilio. 2017. A new perspective on the population history of the pre-Incan South Central Andes through analysis of the dental morphological data. 86th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, New Orleans. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 64 (162): 155

Oneota was a late Prehistoric group that settled in near modern-day La Crosse, WI around A.D.1300, bringing with material remains distinct from the previous Woodland tradition. They abandoned the La Crosse localities by A.D.1625. Archaeological excavations of their complex raised field systems and technologically-advanced plant storage pits has allowed us to learn a great deal about the plant portions of Oneota diet and the role animals played in Oneota subsistence. My research is a detailed analysis of the animal remains found in eight features (33, 55, 69, 78, 92, 97,102, and 108) during the 2012 University of Wisconsin-La Crosse archaeological field school from the Oneota site called Tremaine (47LC95). This study of faunal remains from a single Oneota site will be used to discuss Oneota subsistence and seasonality at Tremaine with to better understand Oneota adaptation to their environment. a less complicated socio-political society than the previous Cahokia Mississippian settlements (Stevenson 1985:1). According to archaeologists, the Oneota were probably a tribe, consisting of an egalitarian social system, which differed greatly from the Middle Mississippian sites that had social stratification (Stevenson 1985:9). Archaeologists have recognized the Oneota from the amount of sites that have "similar lifestyles and material culture" (O'Gorman 1995:12). There are a combination of qualities that categorize the Oneota. They are known for using shell-temper pottery and having storage pits. Oneota sites also have numerous bison scapulae modified for hoe cultivation (Theler and Boszhardt 2003:157; O'Gorman 1995:11). The Oneota practiced intensive maize agriculture using ridged field systems unlike the previous Woodland population . Although, at the Tremaine site no evidence of agricultural fields has been found but this most likely due to the extensive plowing that occurred from modern-day agriculture. There is abundant evidence of charred corn and beans in the flotation samples taken from the features. The Oneota subsistence patterns included an array of floral and faunal resources. In Oneota society there was a minimal use of deer in comparison to the previous Woodland populations, which had a greater reliance on deer. Instead, they focused on a combination of intensive corn, beans and squash agriculture with an exploitation of bison and wetland resources. In contrast, to the previous Woodland tradition that were minimally utilizing corn agriculture and were heavily exploiting white-tail deer.

Ust’-Polui is one of the most extensively studied archaeological sites in the western Siberian Arctic. New radiocarbon (14C) dates for charcoal, faunal remains, bark, hide, and human bone from this site are presented. When modeled, the charcoal dates span from ~260 BC to 140 AD, overlapping with the dendrochronology dates from the site. These dates also overlap with the expected age of the site based on artefact typology. 14C dates on reindeer bone have a slightly younger modeled age range, from ~110 BC to 350 AD. In contrast, dates on the site’s numerous dog remains, and on human and fish bone, all predate these modeled age ranges by over 500 years, despite being from the same deposits. Several sets of paired dates demonstrate significant age differences. Bone dates with lower δ13C values tend to be over 500 years older than those with higher δ13C values. Stable isotope data for the humans, dogs, and other faunal remains are also presented. These data suggest the dogs and the human...

Some of the oldest coastal pottery in South America is found in the Pampas region of southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. In the region's extensive estuarine systems pre-colonial indigenous groups built earthen mounds, known as Cerritos, from ca. 4700 BP. The Cerritos have multifunctional purposes, and while pottery was widely used, its role in the economic or ritual life of the mound builders remains uncertain. Intriguingly, molecular and isotopic characterization of food residues from Cerritos ceramics shows that vessels were used for either cooking estuarine fish, or plant products. Microbial-derived lipids were predominantly associated with the latter, suggesting that plants were fermented, presumably to make alcoholic beverages. We suggest that dispersed communities were drawn to the mounds seasonally to exploit and celebrate the return of migrating fish. This finding is supported by the diversity of stable isotope values of human remains recovered from Cerritos and sheds new light on the lifeways of these pre-colonial groups.

Teeth are a very important resource in Biological Anthropology. One of their many uses is the evaluation of dental wear, which can document both masticatory and non-masticatory behavior. The objectives of this work are to 1) present a protocol for scoring evidence of non-masticatory activity applicable to all kinds of contexts (including commingled collective burials), 2) suggest interpretation tools, and 3) use simple, time-saving and accessible procedures. Procedures addressing oral alterations, a new trait -cingular continuous lesions (CCL) -and statistical analysis are described. This method will complement archaeological knowledge on past populations' cultural, ritual or work-related tooth uses. Méthodes pour adresser les altérations orales, un nouvel trait -«cingular continuous lesions» (CCL) -et testes statistiques sont décrits. Cette méthodologie complément la connaissance archéologique de l'use dentaire en fonctions culturelles, rituelles et de travail. Bioarchéologie; usure dentaire extra-masticatoire; les dents comme outils; lésions dentaires

The current status of numerical water quality modelling of the German part of the Elbe and its estuary (km 0 to 727) with the model QSim is presented and simulation results are compared with field data for validation. Based on a large scale 1d approach, a consistent input signal from the river (upper 585 km) is generated to investigate the context between phytoplankton development and oxygen deficits in the estuary with enhanced mean water depth (> 10 m). In the shallow and eutrophic river, phytoplankton biomass is produced up to a seasonal mean (May-October 2006) of nearly 150 μg chla l-1 causing oxygen supersaturation. In the freshwater part of the estuary, the algae biomass declines sharply and oxygen deficits occur. Our simulations demonstrate that net algae growth rates become negative due to light limitation, while high grazing losses by zooplankton (seasonal mean of 0.5 per day) causes a decline of the biomass. Due to the input of algal derived and easily degradable organi...

Este trabajo presenta los primeros resultados del estudio bioarqueologico de una coleccion de restos oseos humanos hasta ahora no estudiada, que forma parte del acervo del Museo Arqueologico Manuel Almeida, de la ciudad de Gualeguaychu (provincia de Entre Rios). Se da a conocer la estructura general de esta coleccion a traves del calculo de distintos indicadores de abundancia (NISP, MNE y MNI), de la estimacion sexo-etaria y de su distribucion espacio-temporal. Ademas se presentan tres nuevas dataciones radiocarbonicas para el rio Uruguay inferior. Con base en esta nueva informacion se brinda una primera caracterizacion de la estructura del registro bioarqueologico y se discuten aspectos de la ocupacion prehispanica del area. Los resultados muestran que la coleccion estudiada proviene de doce sitios arqueologicos y se compone de 1351 especimenes oseos y presenta MNE de 1074. A partir de los craneos se calculo un MNI = 80. Se estimaron dos individuos subadultos y 20 adultos, de los c...

Je les remercie de m'avoir fait bénéficier de leurs connaissances, de leurs orientations et de leurs critiques qui m'ont beaucoup aidé à l'amélioration de ce mémoire. Mes vifs remerciements à M. BOUANANI A. pour m'avoir honorée en présidant ce jury. Ma profonde gratitude et mes remerciements à Mme BABA-HAMED K., pour avoir accepté de juger ce travail. Je remercie également Mme HEBIB F. d'avoir accepté d'examiner ce travail. Ma vive gratitude et remerciements s'adressent à M. MEKKAOUI, enseignant-chercheur à l'université de Béchar, qui m'a largement aidée au cours de la réalisation de ce travail, et pour son soutien inestimable. Je remercie toute l'équipe de l''ANRH de Béchar particulièrement M elle ALOUI, M. MERZOUGUI et M. RABEHI Je remercie M. BELKENDIL pour les conseils et encouragements qu'il m'a prodigués. Mes remerciements sont adressés aussi à l'équipe

Population movements constitute a significant driver of cultural change in prehistoric societies. In recent years, sulfur isotopes have emerged as a valuable approach for distinguishing human/animal provenance. However, the scarcity of sulfur isotope studies and the lack of baseline maps predicting their variations in the landscape limit our current knowledge about mobility behaviours. Here, we first present the δ 34 S isotope values of 142 human and animal bone collagen samples from coastal and inland funerary sites located in northern Iberia. Second, to apply a multivariate machine-learning regression and a random forest model to predict sulfur isotope variations across Iberia, we compiled the sulfur isotope data from 554 specimens of 41 archaeological locations from Holocene contexts. Our research demonstrated that population movement between coastal and inland locations is observable through differences in the δ 34 S isotope values of individuals linked to their respective environments, suggesting migrations on both sides of the Cantabrian mountain range. The resulting isoscape model demonstrates that sulfur isotope patterns are highly predictable, with 82% of the sulfur isotope variation explained by only four variables: elevation, Bouguer anomaly, distance from the coast, and strontium isotope values. While the model is highly accurate for regions with large amounts of data, such as northern Iberia, Central and Eastern Iberia still require more sulfur isotope data to predict isoscapes.

Coral reef trophodynamics is extremely complex and still poorly understood, while investigated for decades. Recent advances on organic matter sources, fluxes, trophic niches of species, and spatiotemporal variations of food webs are first summarized. Then, tools used in trophodynamics research are briefly documented, from traditional pioneer methods of stomach content analysis to more recent biochemical methods (stable isotopes, fatty acids, biochemical composition, metabolomics, DNA metabarcoding, etc.) and modeling approaches. Eventually, future challenges and perspectives are presented addressing the diverse scenarios of coral reef trophic functioning response in front of the ongoing changes in global and local stressors.

By: Plug J.-H., Blevins K.E., Abbès, F., Akkermans P.M.M.G., Bach Gómez A.M., Chambrade M.-L., Chamel B., Coqueigniot E., Molist M., Orange M., van der Plicht J., Galata S., Nowell G., Montgomery J., Pearson J., & Fernández-Domínguez E.

The Neolithic of southwest Asia, 11,600-7500 years ago, charts the earliest establishment of permanent settlements and changes in food procurement and community structure that transformed human lifeways. Our understanding of the social behaviors that impacted these shifting connections to place and group membership can be improved by studying how people moved across landscapes. Parts of southwest Asia have shown contrasting evidence for mobility practices, but little is known from the Northern Levant, a region key to the development and transmission of agriculture and settled life, particularly for the latest Neolithic stages. We measured strontium and oxygen isotope values in 71 human teeth from five archeological sites in Syria, spanning the entire Neolithic period. A shift to broadly local communities following the establishment of village life suggests consolidation of group membership and deep connections to particular locales, perhaps aimed at social cohesion. Mobility then increases in the later Neolithic, explaining the high degree of cross-regional connectivity witnessed archeologically. A sex-bias towards female mobility during this period may point towards the formation of patrilocal traditions. At our sites both non-local and local individuals were afforded similar burial treatment, suggesting inclusivity in group membership and mobile individuals connecting to new places in the landscape.

Elements, for example, the groundwater minor components can be fundamental and destructive relying upon openness and portion that can be impacted by the normal land and ecological variables concerning their fixations and conveyances. A few elements add to changes in groundwater hydrochemistry, including environment, precipitation, mineralogy of the fundamental geography with which the water communicates, spring properties and geology. These elements add to the spatial and fleeting changes in the water synthesis. The spatial fixation and appropriation of groundwater minor components from Northern Ghana spring (storm cellar) was thusly explored in the study. What's more, a correlation of the supplement fixation with suggested everyday admission (RDI) was led to comprehend the job and commitment of groundwater to dietary requirements. Water quality data of 184 wells from the Northern Ghana were utilized in the study. The contextual analysis regions in Northern Ghana are described by storm cellar springs. The consequence of the investigation directed tracked down Northern Ghana to have a Blend Calcium-Magnesium-Chloride-Sulfate water type and Calcium-Bicarbonate water type separately. The geochemical controls inside the review regions were found to change with spring type and the cellar springs were portrayed by rock enduring and rock-water association because of delayed contact with translucent rocks. This anyway doesn't meet the RDI values for these supplements. Consequently, this study infers that drinking of groundwater from the Northern Ghana might add to supplement admission; it should be expanded by nutritious nourishment for the dietary should be met.

The usual answer to the age–old question of "why do we need archaeology today" often sounds like "because in order to tackle the modern problems, we need to understand the way past societies dealt with them". The project ARCHAEOWILD, funded by the Science Fund of Republic of Serbia, tries to understand the Holocene history of the Human – Wildlife conflict and coexistence. This will provide modern conservation and wildlife management experts with an elaborate overview of the spatial and temporal distribution of wild animals and plants in the Central Balkans from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages. Our goal is to use a large amount of biomolecular data, including aDNA and C/N stable isotopes, to provide a new understanding of the paleoecology of wild animals that were frequently hunted during the Holocene period, such as red deer and brown bear. We will also investigate the reasons behind the regional disappearance of globally extinct mammals such as the aurochs and European wild ass, while also examining the origins of exotic wildlife, such as fallow deer and leopards. On the other hand, another important question has been popping up regularly in the last couple of years. “Why do we need archaeologists”, which especially targets the younger generations on the verge of their academic careers. Universities have started shutting down archaeology departments, leaving fewer options for the newly graduates, who end up searching for a career change. Again, projects such as ARCHAEOWILD can be a good example of dealing with this type of issue, since six out of eight people employed were post–graduate students at the start of the project, while for the three of them this was their first job in the field.

Inferring the diet of fossil mammals is a major approach to mammalian palaeobiology and palaeoecology. Compared to other mammals, proboscideans pose significant problems because elephants eat different kinds of food and may change it frequently. Results obtained by analysing the last molars of Palaeoloxodon antiquus from Neumark Nord, highlight the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach in inferring the dietary adaptation of elephants. The microwear pattern and stable isotope data obtained for the straight-tusked elephants from Neumark Nord 1, suggest they were mainly grazers in a wooded grassland and moderately humid environment.

Comets today reside in two distinct reservoirs, the OC and the KB region (divided into the classical KB, the scattered disk, and the detached or extended disk populations). Comets injected into the inner planetary system are classified dynamically as isotropic (LPC or HTC) or ecliptic (Centaur-type, Encke-type, or JFC). Ecliptic comets come from the KB reservoir while the isotropic comets come from the Oort cloud [1]. All except Centaur-type comets have the potential of becoming sufficiently bright to obtain sensitive detection limits through high-resolution NIR spectra.

The relationship between infant and child feeding practices and early mortality is difficult to address in past societies. Here, stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope measurements of bulk bone and sequential dentine samples of deciduous second and/or permanent first molars of four younger children, one older child, one late adolescent, and two young adults (n = 8) from Moro de Alins cave, north-eastern Iberia, are used to explore the potential impact of early-life nutrition on mortality in the Bronze Age. Isotope results are compatible with generally short exclusive breastfeeding and standard weaning periods compared to other pre-modern populations. However, there are differences in exclusive breastfeeding mean δ13C values and in Δ13C trophic shifts between exclusive breastfeeding and immediate post-weaning isotope values for those individuals who survived into adolescence and adulthood and those who did not. While the former seem to be consistent with trophic distances p...

Stable isotope analysis has become a key research approach in archaeology, enabling the reconstruction of diets, subsistence strategies, agricultural transitions, and  human-environment relationships. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes are the most widely applied, providing insights into ancient dietary practices by distinguishing between C_3 and C_4 plant consumption, identifying trophic level differences, and tracing reliance on terrestrial  versus marine  resources.
While well  established in Europe, Africa, and the Americas, this field remains at a developing stage in South Asia and requires greater scholarly attention. This review synthesizes current research on δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N within the South Asian archaeological context, spanning from Neolithic communities to the Harapan civilization and other prehistoric cultures.
Case studies highlight the early adoption of millet as staple food, the integration of mixed C_3 and C_4  diets, coastal subsistence strategies, and evidence of pastoral mobility from Harappan sites in Gujarat. Despite these advances, isotopic research remains limited by the scarcity of human skeletal analyses, inadequate faunal and isotopic baselines, challenges of preservation in tropical environments and the historically culture-oriented approach of South Asian archaeology.
This study concludes by suggesting future directions for isotopic research, particularly through integration with zooarchaeology, palaeobotany and palaeoclimate studies. Expanding isotopic research in South Asia has the potential to provide deeper insights into ancient dietary strategies, palaeoclimate variability, human adaptations during the Quaternary and patterns of late Quaternary extinctions.

This article seeks to conceptualise relics and consolidate various methodological approaches to their study, in order to establish a framework for the development of relic studies. This builds on the author’s recent research on this subject, as well as on the numerous interdisciplinary case studies of relic material that he has led over the past decade. The article explores the questions What is a Relic? How should we study Relics? and Why is the study of relics important?

While the isotopic composition of strontium (87 Sr/ 86 Sr) is frequently used in archeological and environmental provenience studies, it remains unclear how bioavailable Sr in organic matter and the food chain reflects bedrock sources. Here, we present Sr isotopic measurements of 24 soil and 120 wood samples from four central European forests with variable basement geology. While 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values in bedrock (0.7035-0.7441) and soil (0.7043-0.7552) have a considerable span, wood 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values across sites have a much smaller range (0.7041-0.7245), which is closer to the large-scale atmospheric Sr signature in precipitation (0.7118). Comparable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios for different tree species, cambial ages and root systems suggest that bioavailable Sr in wood is little affected by biotic factors. Given the strength of the atmospheric Sr signal we identify, archeological, environmental and forensic fingerprinting should consider high-resolution spatial isoscape modeling, for which this study provides a baseline for central Europe.

Cattle are essential in pastoralist steppe societies, not only for their milk and meat but also for their labor carrying material and people. The Xiongnu polity (300 BCE-100 CE) was a confederation of pastoral nomads who assembled a powerful empire that commanded the Mongolian steppe and beyond through military prowess and statecraft. Supported by local livestock production, exchange, trade, and tribute, the Xiongnu empire moved goods, people, and livestock. Despite the potentially important role of cattle traction in everyday pastoralist herding activities and long-distance transport of goods and materials mobilized for elite consumption, little is known about the use of this technology beyond scattered images of cattle carts depicted on rock. Here, we investigate the ubiquity and intensity of traction applied to cattle through paleopathological analyses of cattle extremities interred in the graves of Xiongnu intermediate elites. A comparative morphological framework documenting the expression of strain-related pathologies in modern cattle and yaks indicates animals herded in the mountainous forest-steppe express a higher incidence of traction pathologies compared to cattle husbanded in the flatter terrains of the steppe-desert. Yak bulls also yield higher PI values despite not undertaking traction nor carrying loads, a pattern likely due to their weight and musculature. Severe pathologies identified in some Xiongnu cattle point to their regular use in traction, perhaps transporting agricultural products and trade goods, but most cattle display surprisingly little evidence for traction pointing to their primary use for pastoral production, daily low-impact traction tasks, and seasonal moves.

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

We present a robust radiocarbon (14 C) chronology for burials at Sakhtysh, in European Russia, where nearly 180 inhumations of Lyalovo and Volosovo pottery-using hunter-gatherer-fishers represent the largest known populations of both groups. Past dating attempts were restricted by poor understanding of dietary 14 C reservoir effects (DREs). We developed a DRE correction approach that uses multiple linear regression of differences in 14 C, δ 13 C, and δ 15 N between bones and teeth of the same individuals to predict DREs of up to approximately 900 years. Our chronological model dates Lyalovo burials to the early fifth millennium BCE, and Volosovo burials to the mid-fourth to early third millennium. It reveals a change in the subsistence economy at approximately 3300 BCE, coinciding with a reorientation of trade networks, and dates the final burial to the early Fatyanovo period, the regional expression of the Yamnaya/Corded Ware expansion. Our approach is applicable when freshwater 14 C reservoir effects are poorly constrained and grave goods cannot be dated directly.

Significance The carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of human tissues can be used to infer dietary information. We transformed isotope compositions of 13,666 modern and ancient analyses to make them comparable on a common scale. This reveals that the isotope dietary breadth of modern humans is highly compressed when compared to populations predating the development in 1910 of modern industrial fertilizer by the Haber–Bosch method. However, modern humans that still use “traditional” subsistence strategies retain remarkably similar isotope dietary breadth to all pre-Haber–Bosch human populations. Increased reliance on industrial agriculture and pastoralism is resulting in a cascade of “rewiring” to remaining food webs globally that can reduce the resilience of global ecosystems in the face of accelerating environmental change.

Isotope signals derived from molluscan shell carbonates allow researchers to investigate palaeoenvironments and the timing and periodicity of depositional events. However, it cannot be assumed that all molluscan taxa provide equally useful data owing to species-specific biological and ecological traits. The Mud Shell, Geloina erosa (Lightfoot, 1786) (syn. Polymesoda coaxans, syn. Polymesoda erosa), an infaunal mangrove bivalve, is a common component of archaeological deposits along Australia's tropical north coast and throughout the Indo-West Pacific. The ubiquity of G. erosa has led to numerous researchers incorporating this taxon into interpretations of associated deposits, particularly in the generation of radiocarbon chronologies and as a palaeoenvironmental proxy. Despite this, concerns have been expressed regarding the impact of G. erosa physiology and ecology on associated geochemical signals. Adaptations allowing the survival of this species within its highly changeable mangrove environment may introduce complexities into radiocarbon and environmental data archived within its shell. This study combines local environmental and hydrological data with isotopic analysis (δ 18 O, δ 13 C, and 14 C) of live-collected specimens to explore the interpretability of geochemical proxies derived from G. erosa. Results suggest a number of factors may impact geochemical markers in unpredictable ways, eroding the usefulness of associated interpretations.

The morphological and chemical properties of fish calcified structures provide excellent environmental and anthropogenic proxies; however, pre-depositional handling may alter these properties, confounding interpretations. This study examines the effects of some traditional processing and cooking methods on the morphological and chemical properties of modern fish otoliths (ear bones), vertebrae, and scales using an experimental approach. Whole mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) were treated using a range of techniques, including boiled in freshwater and saltwater; roasted directly on a fire and wrapped in clay; salted; and completely burnt. Samples were also obtained from untreated fish as controls for comparison. Otoliths, vertebrae and scales from the samples were subjected to morphological, trace element ( 7 Li, 23 Na, 24 Mg, 55 Mn, 86 Sr, 138 Ba, 208 Pb, and 65 Zn all ratioed to 43 Ca) and stable isotope analyses (otoliths and vertebrae-inorganic δ 13 C and δ 18 O; scales-organic δ 13 C and δ 15 N). Results reveal disparities in the chemistry and morphology of otoliths and vertebrae processed in different ways. The otolith and vertebrae carbonate δ 18 O values were lower in samples that experienced heating; burnt samples differed significantly from the control samples. Otolith and vertebrae trace elements were largely unaffected by the treatments relative to the controls; however, some individual elements within the burning and salting groups varied significantly. The impacts observed in the fish scales were less substantial. Results provide a basis for evaluating the suitability of archaeological samples for analysis. We recommend avoiding the use of heated samples. Findings highlight the need to conduct palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based on chemistry and stable isotope data of archaeological remains with caution.

The Black Death epidemic of Yersinia pestis (1347-50 CE) killed about half the population of England, and many historical changes have been ascribed to it. But we still know surprisingly little about how the epidemic actually affected people's daily lives. This study reports results from a broad bioarchaeological study, with 18 skeletal and molecular indicators from 336 adults from Cambridge, England (940-1561 CE). Results reveal two major findings. First, although the epidemic killed millions, no dramatic changes in skeletal indicators of health and lifestyle are directly ascribable to the epidemic. Most indicators either remained stable, or changed in response to other known historical trends. Traumatic though the plague was, it did not transform medieval people's health and lifeways radically. Secondly, there were important long-term health trends beginning before the Black Death, notably a decline in stature. This may be due to a general 14th-century environmental and economic deterioration which left the population more vulnerable to novel epidemic diseases.

The first part of this essay sketches the geography of southern East Asia and traces the development of contacts among its regions as well as between them and the dynastic states that emerged in the Central Plains of northern China from the early second millennium BCE onward. These early contacts provide a context for understanding the southward expansion of the Qin and Han empires. In the second part, I explore the development of a frontier zone economy in southern East Asia as a series of interrelated processes: intercommunal conflict and violence; migration and changes in settlement patterns; dissemination of technology and emergence of new industries; and monetization and strengthening of exchange circuits.

Flooded rice fields are ecosystems favorable to growth and production of aquatic organisms. They can even play a major role in feeding and nutrition of local communities, as source of self-recruiting species or supporting production of farmed fish in association with rice. In Madagascar, integrated rice-fish culture has proven a yield net increase, without fertilizers or feed inputs, of more than 10% compared to traditional rice culture. Common carp (Cyprinuscarpio), have been either demonstrated to improve rice production through fertilization of rice plots. Fertilization is indeed provided through bioturbation of sediments aside from any confirmed impact on pests and weeds. Although common carp can improve rice production, fish is often limited to small yields (av. 50kg/ha/cycle). Fish yields can however reach 500kg/ha/cycle (av. 100 days) through intensification with fertilizers and feeds. In that context, trophic characterization of rice-fish systems may improve knowledge on eco...

In this study we report the first 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotopic data and mobility analyses of the Pazyryk culture in Central Asia. Throughout prehistory the Altai Mountains represent a unique cultural frontier characterised by a perpetual state of transition, resulting from highly mobile nomadic inhabitants. We analysed human skeletal remains from barrows in the Manzherok region of the Altai Republic, Russian Federation. The analysis was based on 160 measurements of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr from Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), in tandem with environmental samples and comparative animal material. The combined dating evidence and strontium isotopic values indicate that after the 5th century BC, residential mobility amongst Altaic nomads is rising, especially long-distance female mobility, leading to contact acquisition with extrinsic territories of Central Asia. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotopic evidence from Manzherok suggests that members of the Altaic population might have been buried in Scythian tombs located in Tuva and Khakassia, most notably in the Arzhan barrows.

This article aims to explore various dimensions of hydraulic works from the perspective of one of the most important protagonists in their creation: engineers. Specifically, through a historical anthropology exercise, we have collected the discussions, problems and ideas about hydraulic works produced by these actors between 1890 and 1930. This article emerges from a broader investigation, which studied controversies linked to water in the 19th and 20th centuries in Catamarca valley (Catamarca, Argentina). Engineers, in this context, emerged as key actors who, we believe, allow us to densely describe the relationships articulated around waterworks. We especially want to cover the distance between the daily practices and discussions of these actors and the narratives and arguments that give the first a broader meaning. For engineers at the turn of the century, waterworks are, or exist through, discussions about salaries, the regime of rivers, the various options and technical problems; but they are also understood as living organisms that embody national progress and allow moral and material elevation to the members of a new civilized society.

Bioavailable strontium (Sr) isoscapes are essential tools in studies on environmental processes, animal and human mobility and provenance. The success of these studies relies on the comparison between the measured 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotope ratios of specimens and the spatial distribution of environmental bioavailable Sr isotopic signatures across geographical regions. A critical step of this process is the construction of reference maps that integrate environmental Sr isotopic data with geographical information. Here, we present a new bioavailable Sr dataset of 113 environmental samples, including plants and malacological samples collected from center-east Argentina (Paraná Delta, Pampa and Entre Ríos plains) as well as adjacent Uruguay, covering an area of approximately 122,500 km 2. This dataset is further integrated with archaeological bioapatite data from the literature to construct the first random forest-based Sr isoscape of the region. Notably this area is on recent Quaternary (fluvial, marine and aeolian) sediments derived from the erosion of magmatic and metamorphic terrains with different Sr isotope composition from low 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios (about 0.706) to highly radiogenic signatures (>0.71), and heterogeneously transported in the Delta area by the rivers and in the high plains by wind and rivers. This isoscape offers a unique perspective on the Sr isotope distribution in a lithologically homogeneous region characterized by relatively young sedimentary sequences. This work represents a significant advancement in the development of Sr isoscapes, providing a fundamental tool for environmental and archaeological applications in South America.

The expansion of llama caravans and the dispersal of domesticated camelids to extra-Andean regions is one of the key topics in South American archaeology. One of the main indicators of both processes is the presence of domesticated camelids in the archaeological record, particularly the llama (Lama glama). Based primarily on historical sources subject to interpretation, it has been suggested that llama caravans may have reached the southeast of South America during Pre-Columbian times, particularly to the northern Pampean region and the
Paran´a River valley. While the archaeological assemblages in these two areas include camelid bones that have thus far been identified as guanaco (Lama guanicoe), the possibility of misidentification due to the osteometric similarity between the latter and L. glama could mask the presence of domestic camelids in the record, undermining evidence of this potential major expansion of Andean caravans and domestic camelids. To clarify this issue, we applied a multidisciplinary approach combining archaeological, isotopic, and paleogenomic analyses to determine the taxonomic status of camelids recovered from archaeological sites in northern Pampean region and the valley of the Paran´a River. Our findings demonstrate that all the individuals analyzed correspond to guanacos, whose survival extended into early historical times. Additionally, the archaeological record from both areas contemporaneous with the maximum pre-Columbian expansion of the  andean caravans, provides no evidence of direct trade with the Andean world.

Several dog skeletons were excavated at the Roman town of Augusta Raurica and at the military camp of Vindonissa, located in the northern Alpine region of Switzerland (Germania Superior). The relationships between them and the people, the nature of their lives, and the circumstances of their deaths are unclear. In order to gain insight into this dog population, we collected 31 dogs deposited almost simultaneously in two wells (second half of the third century CE), three dogs from burial contexts (70–200 CE and third to fifth century CE) at Augusta Raurica, and two dogs from burial contexts at Vindonissa (ca. first century CE). We detected a mixed population of young and adult dogs including small, medium and large sized individuals. Three small dogs had conspicuous phenotypes: abnormally short legs, and one with a brachycephalic skull. Stable isotope analysis of a subset of the dogs showed that their diets were omnivorous with a substantial input of animal proteins and little variat...

The middle to upper Jurassic succession in the Kurdistan Region in northern-northeastern Iraq, forms a part of the southern Tethys Zagros Suture Zone, comprises a thick carbonate rock (dolomite, limestone, dolomitic limestone, and argillaceous limestone) interbedded with shale units. In order to reconstruct the paleoclimatic fluctuations, the bulk carbonates from the Sargelu, Naokelekan and Barsarin formations that spanned middle to late Jurassic period are selected for δ 1 ⁸O and δ 13 C analyses supported by scanning electron microscopic imaging aiming to assess the temperature variability and carbon cycle dynamics comparing to global paleoclimate evolution during the Jurassic. The negative trends in oxygen isotopic data are recorded with a general increase in temperature from the middle to upper Jurassic. The middle Jurassic Sargelu Formation records warm paleo temperatures, indicating deposition in marine environments in a mixture of humid and dry conditions. The late Jurassic Naokelekan Formation was deposited in both marine and freshwater environments with a higher temperature than the Sargelu Formation. An increase in temperature also recorded in the upper Jurassic Barsarin Formation, while deposition was characterized by a climate in a brackish lagoon environment. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study supports these depositional interpretations, where the common presence of coccoliths and illite-smectite clay mineral confirm the marine deposition of the Sargelu Formation. The various forms of disc-shaped calcite crystals, star-shaped crystals, long fibrous and columnar calcite crystals reveal deposition in a mixing of marine to fresh water setting for the upper Jurassic Naokelekan and Barsarin formations.

Sirenia inhabited the coastal waters of Europe and North Africa from the Eocene until the end of the Pliocene. They are the only herbivorous marine mammals, and their presence in the European/North African realm is supported by almost 400 fossil records. Their dependence on seagrass, as well as their ecological needs, limited their capability to adapt to the climate changes that occurred during the Cenozoic. Their disappearance from European and Mediterranean shores occurred in two different steps: 1) the European Atlantic extinction, related to global cooling and fragmentation of the seagrass meadows, which greatly reduced sirenia habitats and resources; 2) their disappearance from the Mediterranean, linked not to declining resources but to the onset of continental glaciations in the northern hemisphere.

Stable isotope analysis is a powerful tool for tracing biogeochemical processes in the carbon and water cycles. One particularly powerful approach is to employ multiple isotopes where the simultaneous assessment of the D/H, 18 O/ 16 O and/or 13 C/ 12 C in different compounds provide a unique means to investigate the coupling of water and carbon fluxes at various temporal and spatial scales. Here, we present a research update on recent advances in our process-based understanding of the utilization of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to lend insight into carbon and water cycling. We highlight recent technological developments and approaches, their strengths and methodological precautions with examples covering scales from minutes to centuries and from the leaf to the globe.

We examined diet patterns of omnivorous gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum in Acton Lake, Ohio, during 1994-1997 using a multiple stable isotope analysis to quantify the role of this species in the system. On most dates, zooplankton were relatively depleted in ␦ 13 C (about Ϫ30‰ to Ϫ25.5‰) compared with sediments (Ϫ25‰), permitting construction of a mixing model to determine the proportion of C derived from benthic detritus and from planktonic productivity. During periods of greater gizzard shad biomass (Ͼ35 kg/ha), gizzard shad of more than 35-mm standard length (SL) derived most of their C from sediment detritus. When gizzard shad biomass was low (Ͻ15 kg/ha), zooplankton biomass increased and all sizes of gizzard shad derived most of their C from zooplankton. Conventional gut analyses corroborated these findings. Zooplanktivorous age-0 gizzard shad grew at three or more times the rate of those that were detritivorous. Rapid age-0 growth led to high gizzard shad biomass, a decrease in large zooplankton, and a subsequent shift to detritivory. Therefore, diet quality and growth rates are strongly linked to gizzard shad biomass, and these biomass-dependent feedbacks tend to keep gizzard shad biomass high in this system during most years. Because zooplanktivorous gizzard shad recycle nutrients within the water column, whereas detritivorous gizzard shad transport nutrients from sediments to the water column, biomass-induced diet shifts modify the impact of this species on phytoplankton through both top-down and bottom-up mechanisms.

In this paper, we present new stable isotope data from central, southern and eastern Kazakhstan (KZ) that date to the Early Iron Age. Our primary data together with results from previously published studies demonstrate that the consumption of C 4 plants, possibly millet, started in the Final Bronze Age in central KZ and continued into the Early Iron Age. Data from southern KZ, however, demonstrate that over half the human population consumed C 4 crops in the Early Iron Age as opposed to the central regions of KZ, where just a few individuals within the population, often males buried in elite kurgans, have high δ 13 C values indicative of C 4 plant consumption. In this paper we aim first to understand if any dietary changes can be seen in the central KZ population during the transitional period between the Bronze and Iron Ages; secondly, we investigate the extent of C 4 plant consumption in central KZ during these time periods. Here we present new human isotopic data from nine central sites of the Tasmola culture (n = 11), two eastern KZ sites (n = 3) and two southern KZ sites (n = 26).

El estudio de las prácticas de lactancia y destete presenta un gran potencial en bioarqueología, ya que permite explorar la diversidad transcultural de estas costumbres de crianza y su relación con factores biológicos, socioculturales, ambientales, demográficos y económicos.

Este trabajo representa la primera investigación sobre la alimentación infantil en las poblaciones prehispánicas de Panamá. La muestra incluye 44 individuos de 0 a 9 años y 18 individuos adultos de tres sitios arqueológicos de la región central de Panamá: Cerro Mangote, Sitio Sierra y Cerro Juan Díaz. Estos sitios corresponden a los períodos Cerámico Temprano, Medio y Tardío.

Para analizar los aspectos relacionados a la alimentación infantil, se midieron los isótopos estables de nitrógeno (δ15N) y carbono (δ13C) en colágeno óseo. Los datos isotópicos δ15N se analizaron con el método bayesiano WARN (Reconstrucción de la Edad de Destete mediante Análisis de Isótopos de Nitrógeno [Paquete en R]) para estimar el inicio y fin del destete. También se evaluaron los valores isotópicos δ13C para identificar alimentos complementarios y variaciones dietéticas entre niños y adultos.

Los resultados indican que la introducción de alimentos complementarios ocurrió antes de los seis meses de edad, lo que marca un inicio temprano del proceso de destete. Sin embargo, la duración total del destete varió a lo largo del tiempo, con diferencias observadas entre fases cronológicas, extendiéndose entre 3 y 3,9 años. Estos hallazgos indican un destete precoz, lo cual habría podido reducir los intervalos entre nacimientos y favorecido el crecimiento demográfico durante el período relacionado con estos sitios arqueológicos.

Author(s): Eerkens, Jelmer W.; Barfod, Gry H.; Leventhal, Alan; Jorgenson, Gina A.; Cambra, Rosemary | Abstract: We explore strontium (Sr) isotope analysis as a means to reconstruct ancient migration patterns of individuals at SCL-287, a Middle Period site in southern San Francisco Bay. Comparison of Sr isotopes from rst molars to that of bone suggests that males frequently immigrated to the site, while all females were born at or near the site. This pattern is consistent with a preference for matrilocal post-marital residence patterns. At the same time, analysis of third molars indicates that individuals frequently shifted residence during early teenage years, even those who were born and lived as adults at SCL-287. While adult residence shifts are commonly reported in the ethnography of Central California, matrilocality is not. In this respect, isotopic analyses allow us to generate new hypotheses about ancient migration patterns in prehistory independent of those reported in the ...