| Abstract: |
Human bone collagen stable isotope analysis of six late Mesolithic shell middens on the Hebridean island of Oronsay was performed to determine the amount of marine protein and terrestrial protein individuals ate for the last 10 years of their lives, thereby ascertaining if the island was peopled all year round or only in certain months. Humans in a midden were found to have consumed primarily marine food, indicating their residency in the island for the whole year. However, another midden revealed a mix of marine and terrestrial food, indicating part-time occupation of the island. It is not clear if there was a shift in subsistence over time.
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