Stable isotope analysis of faunal remains from Bronze Age Kaymakçı, Western Anatolia

Abstract

This paper presents the results of stable carbon (delta 13C) and nitrogen (delta 15N) isotopic analysis of bulk bone collagen from faunal remains from the Bronze Age site of Kaymak and ccedil;and imath;in western Anatolia. We use the isotopic values in conjunction with zooarchaeological data and contextual archaeological information to examine human-environment interactions;in particular, animal management and husbandry. Middle and Late Bronze Age agricultural systems in western and central Anatolia remain poorly understood, and this research aims to contribute to rectifying this research gap. We obtained stable isotopic values from both wild and domestic species, including deer, hare, birds, catfish, dogs, pigs, caprids and cattle. The delta 13C values range from -22.0 parts per thousand to -16.9 parts per thousand and the delta 15N values range from 2.3 parts per thousand to 10.3 parts per thousand. For cattle, the delta 13C values suggest that some specimens were subject to different management strategies, likely related to feeding or herding patterns or even the movement of animals in and around the region through some exchange mechanism. There appears to be no fixed location or strategy for the management of caprids and, furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that the herding/management areas of some caprids overlapped with those of wild animals such as deer and hare. Variation in delta 15N values for pigs may indicate that whilst some animals in the sampled assemblage were free-roaming, others were penned. For the pigs and some other herbivorous domesticated species variation in delta 15N values may also point to the exploitation of the wetland areas around Lake Marmara.