Focus: sulphur isotope variation in archaeological marine fauna from northern Europe

O. E. Craig; R. Ross; Soren H. Andersen; N. Milner; G. N. Bailey

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2006.05.006

Focus: sulphur isotope variation in archaeological marine fauna from northern Europe

O. E. Craig, R. Ross, Soren H. Andersen, N. Milner, G. N. Bailey

Archaeology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We undertook combined stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope analysis of marine and terrestrial faunal remains from two prehistoric coastal shell middens in Denmark. The aim of the investigation was to establish whether sulphur isotopes were useful in discriminating terrestrial and marine consumers in this region. We found that sulphur isotopes do separate marine and terrestrial fauna but, contrary to our expectations, we observed a negative correlation between delta S-34 and delta C-13 values for marine fauna. We conclude that similar studies over a broader geographical range are needed before sulphur isotopes can be reliably used to study coastal resource exploitation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1642-1646
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of archaeological science
Volume	33
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2006.05.006
Publication status	Published - Nov 2006

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10.1016/j.jas.2006.05.006

Cite this

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title = "Focus: sulphur isotope variation in archaeological marine fauna from northern Europe",

abstract = "We undertook combined stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope analysis of marine and terrestrial faunal remains from two prehistoric coastal shell middens in Denmark. The aim of the investigation was to establish whether sulphur isotopes were useful in discriminating terrestrial and marine consumers in this region. We found that sulphur isotopes do separate marine and terrestrial fauna but, contrary to our expectations, we observed a negative correlation between delta S-34 and delta C-13 values for marine fauna. We conclude that similar studies over a broader geographical range are needed before sulphur isotopes can be reliably used to study coastal resource exploitation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.",

author = "Craig, {O. E.} and R. Ross and Andersen, {Soren H.} and N. Milner and Bailey, {G. N.}",

year = "2006",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.jas.2006.05.006",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "1642--1646",

journal = "Journal of archaeological science",

issn = "0305-4403",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Focus

T2 - sulphur isotope variation in archaeological marine fauna from northern Europe

AU - Craig, O. E.

AU - Ross, R.

AU - Andersen, Soren H.

AU - Milner, N.

AU - Bailey, G. N.

PY - 2006/11

Y1 - 2006/11

N2 - We undertook combined stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope analysis of marine and terrestrial faunal remains from two prehistoric coastal shell middens in Denmark. The aim of the investigation was to establish whether sulphur isotopes were useful in discriminating terrestrial and marine consumers in this region. We found that sulphur isotopes do separate marine and terrestrial fauna but, contrary to our expectations, we observed a negative correlation between delta S-34 and delta C-13 values for marine fauna. We conclude that similar studies over a broader geographical range are needed before sulphur isotopes can be reliably used to study coastal resource exploitation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - We undertook combined stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope analysis of marine and terrestrial faunal remains from two prehistoric coastal shell middens in Denmark. The aim of the investigation was to establish whether sulphur isotopes were useful in discriminating terrestrial and marine consumers in this region. We found that sulphur isotopes do separate marine and terrestrial fauna but, contrary to our expectations, we observed a negative correlation between delta S-34 and delta C-13 values for marine fauna. We conclude that similar studies over a broader geographical range are needed before sulphur isotopes can be reliably used to study coastal resource exploitation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2006.05.006

DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2006.05.006

M3 - Article

SN - 0305-4403

VL - 33

SP - 1642

EP - 1646

JO - Journal of archaeological science

JF - Journal of archaeological science

IS - 11

ER -