Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use
RATIONALE Carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) analysis has been extensively used to investigate the importance of marine foods in the diet of archaeological populations in the North Atlantic Islands; however, few faunal studies exist to aid the interpretation of results. Palaeoenvironmental modell...
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crwiley:10.1002/rcm.6319 2023-12-03T10:26:50+01:00 Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use Jones, J. R. Mulville, J. A. McGill, R. A. R. Evershed, R. P. 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6319 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Frcm.6319 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/rcm.6319/fullpdf en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry volume 26, issue 20, page 2399-2406 ISSN 0951-4198 1097-0231 Organic Chemistry Spectroscopy Analytical Chemistry journal-article 2012 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6319 2023-11-09T14:35:01Z RATIONALE Carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) analysis has been extensively used to investigate the importance of marine foods in the diet of archaeological populations in the North Atlantic Islands; however, few faunal studies exist to aid the interpretation of results. Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values is crucial in determining whether changes in the stable isotope values are a result of dietary change, rather than temporal or geographical fluctuations in carbon and nitrogen. Investigating faunal dietary behaviour can provide an insight into past foddering and land management strategies. METHODS Detailed sampling of wild and domestic species for bulk collagen analysis was undertaken in order to characterise geographical variations in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the Outer Hebrides and Orkney. Samples from the Neolithic to the Norse period were analysed to assess temporal and geographical variations in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values, in addition to determining the contribution of marine foods to the diet of local fauna. RESULTS A δ 15 N shift of 1‰ was observed between the Outer Hebrides and Orkney in the Neolithic and Iron Age. A geographical variation in δ 13 C values was observed in the Norse period between Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Temporal fluctuations in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values demonstrate variations in foddering practices of sheep in the Outer Hebrides. Pig specimens from the Outer Hebrides demonstrated evidence of marine food consumption in the Iron Age. CONCLUSIONS Faunal dietary behaviour can act as a vital indicator of the importance of marine resources in the past. Characterisation of faunal δ 13 C and δ 15 N values geographically and temporally is crucial in our interpretation of human dietary behaviour. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Wiley Online Library (via Crossref) Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 26 20 2399 2406 |
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Wiley Online Library (via Crossref) |
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language |
English |
topic |
Organic Chemistry Spectroscopy Analytical Chemistry |
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Organic Chemistry Spectroscopy Analytical Chemistry Jones, J. R. Mulville, J. A. McGill, R. A. R. Evershed, R. P. Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use |
topic_facet |
Organic Chemistry Spectroscopy Analytical Chemistry |
description |
RATIONALE Carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) analysis has been extensively used to investigate the importance of marine foods in the diet of archaeological populations in the North Atlantic Islands; however, few faunal studies exist to aid the interpretation of results. Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values is crucial in determining whether changes in the stable isotope values are a result of dietary change, rather than temporal or geographical fluctuations in carbon and nitrogen. Investigating faunal dietary behaviour can provide an insight into past foddering and land management strategies. METHODS Detailed sampling of wild and domestic species for bulk collagen analysis was undertaken in order to characterise geographical variations in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the Outer Hebrides and Orkney. Samples from the Neolithic to the Norse period were analysed to assess temporal and geographical variations in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values, in addition to determining the contribution of marine foods to the diet of local fauna. RESULTS A δ 15 N shift of 1‰ was observed between the Outer Hebrides and Orkney in the Neolithic and Iron Age. A geographical variation in δ 13 C values was observed in the Norse period between Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Temporal fluctuations in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values demonstrate variations in foddering practices of sheep in the Outer Hebrides. Pig specimens from the Outer Hebrides demonstrated evidence of marine food consumption in the Iron Age. CONCLUSIONS Faunal dietary behaviour can act as a vital indicator of the importance of marine resources in the past. Characterisation of faunal δ 13 C and δ 15 N values geographically and temporally is crucial in our interpretation of human dietary behaviour. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jones, J. R. Mulville, J. A. McGill, R. A. R. Evershed, R. P. |
author_facet |
Jones, J. R. Mulville, J. A. McGill, R. A. R. Evershed, R. P. |
author_sort |
Jones, J. R. |
title |
Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use |
title_short |
Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use |
title_full |
Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use |
title_fullStr |
Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use |
title_full_unstemmed |
Palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 C and δ 15 N values in the North Atlantic Islands: understanding past marine resource use |
title_sort |
palaeoenvironmental modelling of δ 13 c and δ 15 n values in the north atlantic islands: understanding past marine resource use |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6319 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Frcm.6319 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/rcm.6319/fullpdf |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry volume 26, issue 20, page 2399-2406 ISSN 0951-4198 1097-0231 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6319 |
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Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry |
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26 |
container_issue |
20 |
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2399 |
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2406 |
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