STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF HUMAN REMAINS: A TOOL FOR CAVE ARCHAEOLOGY

Stable isotope analysis of human remains is a research tool that can provide paleodiet information for archaeological sites, such as caves, where traditional evidence may be missing or out of context. Unlike other lines of evidence, the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in human bone reflect the chemistry of the diet and therefore provide a direct measure of the foods consumed. As an example, the data from isotopic analyses of bone from the Mer site (44LE280), a cave in Lee County, Virginia, are presented. Although this site lacks faunal and floral remains to provide basic information about the availability and potential utilization of food resources, the stable isotope data from other sites throughout Virginia and North Carolina provide a basis for comparison. The δ13C and δ15N values for the cave burials suggest a diet composed of primarily C 4 plant proteins and some terrestrial animal proteins. To understand a past civilization, knowledge about its subsistence strategy is necessary. Unlike other paleodietary indicators, the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in human bone reflect the chemistry of the diet and therefore provide a direct measure of the foods consumed. Traditional methods of diet determination focus on an often incomplete and sometimes misleading archaeological record of faunal and floral remains, artifacts, or other cultural evidence associated with a site to provide information on available food resources, procurement strategies, and processing methods. However, population mobility and differential artifact preservation make quantification of the relative inputs of foods difficult. Ethnohistoric accounts generate a general outline of potential food items and their relative importance, but such accounts are usually biased by the observer and present an idealized view of past cultures. Observations of dental attrition, caries, and general health also provide information about what may have been consumed. Stable isotope analysis of human remains is an especially valuable research tool in archaeological sites, such as caves, where traditional dietary evidence may be missing or out of context. For example, the Mer site, a cave in the extreme southwest corner of Virginia, lacks faunal and floral remains to provide basic information about the availability and potential utilization of food resources. Comparison of the stable isotope data for human bone recovered at the site with isotope data from other sites throughout Virginia and North Carolina provides specific information about the primary dietary components. The δ13C and δ15N values for the Mer site burials suggest a diet composed of primarily C 4 plant proteins and some terrestrial animal proteins. In the first half of this paper we present stable isotope theory, interpretation, and methodology. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data for burials recovered from the Mer site are presented and discussed in the second half. Comparison to data from two other archaeological sites, Parker (31DV4) in Davidson County, North Carolina, and Shannon (44MY8) in Montgomery County, Virginia, facilitates interpretation of the Mer site data.