Nitrogen isotopes and the trophic level of humans in archaeology

Human and domesticate animal bone collagen δ15N values in prehistory differ generally by 3‰ or more from Neolithic to post- Roman times in Northwest Europe, leading to an assumed dietary animal protein fraction of 60–80% using a standard interpretation of δ15N values. We examine the assumptions on which this model rests and the limitations of our knowledge in the analysis of δ15N values in archaeology. We have developed a set of models which, with small changes made in assumptions (on the order of 1‰), can produce substantially lower estimates of the dietary animal protein fraction for given δ15N values. We consider the implications of various dietary animal protein fractions on agricultural carrying capacities and human population densities in prehistory.