Subsistence and mobility strategies in the Epipalaeolithic: a stable isotope analysis of human and faunal remains at 'Uyun al-Hammam,northern Jordan |
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Authors: | Alejandra L Diaz Tamsin C O'Connell Lisa A Maher Jay T Stock |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, UK;2. Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, 6303 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada;3. McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, UK;4. Department of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, 232 Kroeber Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3710, USA;5. Department of Biological Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK |
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Abstract: | This paper investigates evidence for subsistence and settlement activities in the Levantine Middle Epipalaeolithic through the application of stable isotope analysis to human and non-human remains from the site of 'Uyun al-Hammam, northern Jordan. In general, bone from the site suffers a high degree of diagenesis and collagen could not be extracted for analysis here. Carbon and oxygen isotopic values from human tooth enamel samples were variable, but within expected values for the Middle Epipalaeolithic, whereas animal carbon and oxygen isotopic values varied widely, most likely due to hydrological and climatological factors. Carbon and isotopic values for the human samples indicated a predominantly C3 plant dietary input, while animal samples appeared to have varying amounts of C4 inputs into their diet. This is the first isotopic analysis conducted on material from the Middle Epipalaeolithic of the southern Levant and, as such, even results constrained by temporal and climatological variants within the region contribute to the overall knowledge of settlement and subsistence strategies during this cultural period. |
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Keywords: | Carbon Oxygen Isotopes Middle Epipalaeolithic Geometric Kebaran Levant Jordan Palaeodiet |
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