Authors

Richards MP. Pettitt PB. Stiner MC. Trinkaus E.

Title

Stable isotope evidence for increasing dietary breadth in the European mid-Upper Paleolithic

Source

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 98(11):6528-6532, 2001 May 22.

Abstract

New carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values for human remains dating to the mid-Upper Paleolithic in Europe indicate significant amounts of aquatic (fish, mollusks, and/or birds) foods in some of their diets. Most of this evidence points to exploitation of inland freshwater aquatic resources in particular. By contrast, European Neandertal collagen carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values do not indicate significant use of inland aquatic foods but instead show that they obtained the majority of their protein from terrestrial herbivores. In agreement with recent zooarcheological analyses, the-isotope results indicate shifts toward a more broad-spectrum subsistence economy in inland Europe by the mid-Upper Paleolithic period, probably associated with significant population increases. [References: 66]

Reprint available from:

Trinkaus E

Washington Univ, Dept Anthropol

Campus Box 1114

St Louis, MO 63130

USA