Stable isotopes and diet at Ancient Kerma, Upper Nubia (Sudan)

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values were measured from bone collagen extracted from archaeological Nubian human (n = 54) and faunal (n = 61) populations from the site of Kerma, Sudan. Collagen suitable for isotopic analysis was extracted from 22 faunal and 48 human samples from the Eastern cemetery site, dated to the Middle Kerma (c. 2050–1750 BC) and Classic Kerma (c. 1750–1500 BC) periods respectively. The isotopic data indicate that the human dietary regimen included a mix of C3 and C4 plant-derived components, with a larger C4 component than previously reported in archaeological Egyptian Nile Valley populations. Elevated δ15N values are attributed to consumption of dietary resources from a 15N-enriched terrestrial ecosystem. The faunal isotope data also indicate the consumption of C3 and C4 plants. The large range of δ13C values measured in both the human and faunal samples supports previous work suggesting that a significant portion of the populations buried at Kerma may have originated elsewhere, further confirming the Nile Valley as a major corridor for population movement in the region.