Isotope Research in Zooarchaeology

New techniques for understanding animaland human interactions in the pastThrough case studies of faunal remains from RomanBritain, prehistoric Southeast Asia, ancient African pastoral cultures, andbeyond, this volume illustrates some of the ways stable isotope analysis ofancient animals can address key questions in human prehistory.Contributors use a diverse set of isotopictechniques to investigate social and biological topics, including human paleodiets and foodways,hunting and procurement strategies, exchange patterns, animal husbandry and thegenetic consequences of domestication, and short- and long-term environmentalchange. They demonstrate how different isotopes can be used alone or inconjunction to address questions of animal diet, movement, ecology, andmanagement. Studies also examine how sampling strategies, statisticaltechniques, and regional and temporal considerations can influence isotopicresults and interpretations.By applying these newmethods in concert with traditional zooarchaeological analyses, archaeologistscan explore questions about human ecology and environmental archaeology thatwere previously deemed inaccessible.