Sulphur isotope evidence for freshwater fish consumption: a case study from the Danube Gorges, SE Europe
Abstract
To explore the use of sulphur Isotopes as an indicator of the consumption of freshwater fish, we undertook sulphur isotope analysis on bone collagen extracted from humans and animals from five archaeological sites from the Danube Gorges region dating from the Mesolithic to the middle Neolithic periods. The results show a difference in the sulphur isotope values between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems of 8.7 parts per thousand, To reconstruct human diets, bone collagen from 24 individuals was analysed for carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopic values The nitrogen isotope ratios ranged from 10.3 to 16.5 parts per thousand and the carbon Isotope ratios ranged from -20.8 to -18.3 parts per thousand. Low nitrogen isotope values were found for individuals with low sulphur isotope ratios reflecting the low sulphur isotopic values of the terrestrial animals. The highest human nitrogen isotope values coincided with higher sulphur isotope ratios, which are related to the higher sulphur isot...ope values of the freshwater fish. Intermediate human sulphur isotopic ratios between these two extremes showed mixed diets of both terrestrial and freshwater resources.
Keywords:
The Danube Gorges / Sulphur isotopes / Neolithic / Mesolithic / Freshwater fishSource:
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2010, 37, 5, 1131-1139Publisher:
- Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd, London
Funding / projects:
- Max Planck Society Foundation CELLEX
DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.013
ISSN: 0305-4403
WoS: 000276786700023
Scopus: 2-s2.0-77649232761
Institution/Community
Arheologija / ArchaeologyTY - JOUR AU - Nehlich, Olaf AU - Borić, Dušan AU - Stefanović, Sofija AU - Richards, Michael P. PY - 2010 UR - http://reff.f.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/988 AB - To explore the use of sulphur Isotopes as an indicator of the consumption of freshwater fish, we undertook sulphur isotope analysis on bone collagen extracted from humans and animals from five archaeological sites from the Danube Gorges region dating from the Mesolithic to the middle Neolithic periods. The results show a difference in the sulphur isotope values between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems of 8.7 parts per thousand, To reconstruct human diets, bone collagen from 24 individuals was analysed for carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopic values The nitrogen isotope ratios ranged from 10.3 to 16.5 parts per thousand and the carbon Isotope ratios ranged from -20.8 to -18.3 parts per thousand. Low nitrogen isotope values were found for individuals with low sulphur isotope ratios reflecting the low sulphur isotopic values of the terrestrial animals. The highest human nitrogen isotope values coincided with higher sulphur isotope ratios, which are related to the higher sulphur isotope values of the freshwater fish. Intermediate human sulphur isotopic ratios between these two extremes showed mixed diets of both terrestrial and freshwater resources. PB - Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd, London T2 - Journal of Archaeological Science T1 - Sulphur isotope evidence for freshwater fish consumption: a case study from the Danube Gorges, SE Europe EP - 1139 IS - 5 SP - 1131 VL - 37 DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.013 ER -
@article{ author = "Nehlich, Olaf and Borić, Dušan and Stefanović, Sofija and Richards, Michael P.", year = "2010", abstract = "To explore the use of sulphur Isotopes as an indicator of the consumption of freshwater fish, we undertook sulphur isotope analysis on bone collagen extracted from humans and animals from five archaeological sites from the Danube Gorges region dating from the Mesolithic to the middle Neolithic periods. The results show a difference in the sulphur isotope values between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems of 8.7 parts per thousand, To reconstruct human diets, bone collagen from 24 individuals was analysed for carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopic values The nitrogen isotope ratios ranged from 10.3 to 16.5 parts per thousand and the carbon Isotope ratios ranged from -20.8 to -18.3 parts per thousand. Low nitrogen isotope values were found for individuals with low sulphur isotope ratios reflecting the low sulphur isotopic values of the terrestrial animals. The highest human nitrogen isotope values coincided with higher sulphur isotope ratios, which are related to the higher sulphur isotope values of the freshwater fish. Intermediate human sulphur isotopic ratios between these two extremes showed mixed diets of both terrestrial and freshwater resources.", publisher = "Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd, London", journal = "Journal of Archaeological Science", title = "Sulphur isotope evidence for freshwater fish consumption: a case study from the Danube Gorges, SE Europe", pages = "1139-1131", number = "5", volume = "37", doi = "10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.013" }
Nehlich, O., Borić, D., Stefanović, S.,& Richards, M. P.. (2010). Sulphur isotope evidence for freshwater fish consumption: a case study from the Danube Gorges, SE Europe. in Journal of Archaeological Science Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd, London., 37(5), 1131-1139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.013
Nehlich O, Borić D, Stefanović S, Richards MP. Sulphur isotope evidence for freshwater fish consumption: a case study from the Danube Gorges, SE Europe. in Journal of Archaeological Science. 2010;37(5):1131-1139. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.013 .
Nehlich, Olaf, Borić, Dušan, Stefanović, Sofija, Richards, Michael P., "Sulphur isotope evidence for freshwater fish consumption: a case study from the Danube Gorges, SE Europe" in Journal of Archaeological Science, 37, no. 5 (2010):1131-1139, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.013 . .