| Abstract: |
Human bone collagen stable isotope analysis of humans from coastal Mesolithic sites in Scotland, Denmark, France and Portugal indicates the importance of marine foods in the diet. We define the expected human d13C and d15N values of 100% marine and 100% terrestrial diets and conclude that at most sites isotope variability is due to diVering proportions of these defined marine and terrestrial diets, rather than due to diVerences in the actual types of marine and terrestrial foods exploited. By comparing the European human values with marine faunal values, and values of marine-diet humans from North America, we propose that the marine component of human diet in the Late European Mesolithic was based mainly on marine fish, with only minor contributions from shellfish or marine mammals.
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