Temporal variations in Equus tooth isotope values (C,N,O) from the Middle Paleolithic site of Combe Grenal, France (ca. 150,000 to 50,000Â BP)

We report here on an isotopic study of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in Equus tooth enamel and dentine from multiple layers from the site of Combe Grenal, France, which date to between approximately 150,000 and 50,000 years BP. We found that there were significant variations in all three elemental isotope ratios through time, although the variations were not synchronous. This study shows the utility of using herbivore tooth dentine carbon and nitrogen isotope values as indicators of environmental changes, in addition to their use as dietary indicators.