Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of human and animal skeletal remains unearthed at Zengpiyan and Dayan sites in Guilin

Abstract

Abstract Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses, together with AMS radiocarbon dating of human and animal bones unearthed from the Zengpiyan and Dayan sites in Guilin of Guangxi suggest a relatively stable environment dominated by C3 plants, which was supplemented by a small amount of C4 plants. Although inhabitants of the two Neolithic sites relied mainly on freshwater resources, they differed significantly in their dietary structure from the Early to Middle phases. The Early Neolithic inhabitants (n=6) consumed similar foods in their diet. By contrast, the Middle Neolithic people (n=11) procured and consumed more terrestrial foods from diverse sources. The transition to a broad dietary spectrum was likely interlinked to the shifts in population structures, environmental adaptation, and foraging ranges.