Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of archaeological faunal material from Dutchess Quarry Caves, NY

• Main Author: Zuhlke, Jessica M
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Subjects: anthropology, archaeology; biogeochemistry; native american studies; paleoecology
• ISBN: 9781321164749; 1321164742

The purpose of this study was to do an isotopic analysis to determine the carbon and nitrogen isotope concentrations of archaeological faunal material found in the Dutchess Quarry Caves in Orange County, NY. These isotope values were then used to compare the taxa from which the samples were taken to determine if and how trophic relationships were formed. The main focus of this comparison spotlighted a sample from a human femur; to establish the human's position trophically with the other large and small mammal samples collected. The human had been previously radiocarbon dated to have lived between 2877 and 3180 years bp, indicating that it had most likely lived during the Early Woodland Period (1000-1 BCE) (Hill and Hurtado, 1989). This period marked a very early shift to a more agriculturally based subsistence strategy with the utilization of pottery and a semi-permanent settlement lifestyle, but most still lived as hunter-gatherers (Hill and Hurtado, 1989). Evidence from the site itself yielded no remains of pottery or plant food, but rather a heavy focus on tool making for hunting and perhaps butchering (Funk and Steadman, 1994).
The results of this analysis reflect past research; the human is placed at the highest trophic level, indicating its status as a likely omnivore, focusing heavily on hunting, with more enriched carbon and nitrogen isotopes values, and herbivores are at the lowest level with depleted carbon and nitrogen isotope values. For example, the herbivore deer were shown to have more depleted carbon and nitrogen values with means at -22.6 per mil for carbon and 4.3 per mil for nitrogen. The carnivorous bobcat showed mean values of -17.7 per mil for carbon and 8.6 per mil for nitrogen, more enriched values of both. This also reflects the cultural material found at the site itself; the humans were focusing heavily on hunting, placing them in a higher trophic level as a predator.