High-resolution palaeodietary reconstruction: Amino acid δ13C analysis of keratin from single hairs of mummified human individuals

The sequential analysis of 0.5 cm increments from a single hair has permitted the high-resolution reconstruction (approximately fortnightly) of the recent life history of these pre-Columbian individuals, discerning short-term nutritional changes related to agricultural cycle, multiple dietary intakes or mobility. Although bulk methods can detect changes in diet and track seasonal shifts, the variations in the carbon isotope signal can be highly attenuated with respect to the dietary intake because of the use of multiple hairs.