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Investigating Intra-Individual Dietary Changes and 14C Ages Using High-Resolution δ13C and δ15N Isotope Ratios and 14C Ages Obtained from Dentine Increments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 February 2016

Laura G van der Sluis ,
Paula J Reimer  and
Niels Lynnerup
Laura G van der Sluis*
Affiliation:
School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen's University Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Paula J Reimer
Affiliation:
School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen's University Belfast BT7 1NN, United Kingdom
Niels Lynnerup
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederik d. 5.s Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen ø, Denmark
*
2Corresponding author. Email addresses: [email protected].
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Abstract

Ten medieval permanent teeth were subjected to incremental dentine sectioning and stable isotope analysis to investigate dietary changes in high resolution. In addition to this, eight increments were also selected for radiocarbon measurements to examine possible intra-individual age differences. Results reveal the cessation of weaning, various dietary profiles, and in some cases significantly different 14C ages obtained from a single tooth. This case study illustrates how 14C measurements can function as a proxy alongside the commonly used carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values to interpret the diet of past individuals.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 57 , Issue 4 , 2015 , pp. 665 - 677
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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References

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