Dietary reconstruction of the Iron Age population at the Fantzuyuan site, Taiwan, revealed by isotopic analysis on human and faunal bone collagen

In this study, we analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic composition of human bone collagen in 33 individuals found at the Fantzuyuan site in Taiwan in order to investigate the dietary patterns of this Iron Age group. Forty-three faunal collagen samples were also analyzed to ascertain the variability of baseline isotopic signatures in the area. Mean δ13C and δ15N values of − 12.5 ± 0.7‰ and 8.1 ± 0.5‰, respectively, were found in 26 human individuals. In conjunction with archaeological evidence, this study showed that human diet at this site derived mainly from terrestrial animals, with a minor component derived from marine shellfish. No significant difference in isotopic compositions was detected between male and female adults or between adults and juveniles. However, six individuals had dietary patterns that were different from others, which probably reveals that they had special social status and/or non-local origins.