Exploring Human Behavior Through Isotopic Analyses: Tools, Scales, and Questions

Isotopic analyses have become an important tool in archaeological and bioarchaeological research. This chapter provides an overview of the application of both stable and radiogenic isotopic analyses to the reconstruction of past human behavior. We present an overview of the main isotope systems commonly used within this context, i.e. carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and strontium. We then provide a discussion of the most common tissues from which isotope ratios are obtained and highlight the importance of considering scales of analysis in research design and data interpretation. Finally, we present the general categories of social research questions for which isotopic studies have been particularly productive, such as studies of paleodiet and life-history, human-animal interactions, and human mobility and migration. Within these general categories, we discuss the individual contributions to the volume.