Reconstructing the ecological setting of the North Sea area: stable isotope analysis of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene faunal remains

During the last ice age, the North Sea was a dry land. Following the deglaciation, it became inundated because of the rising sea levels roughly 8 millennia ago. The North Sea region was inhabited by humans and animals and provides major archaeological insights. In this thesis, an analysis of the carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes of 14C dated skeletal remains from the North Sea is performed. The research question is to evaluate the potential outcome for paleo-ecological reconstructions during the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene, and contributions regarding human societies - in particular subsistence. The material consists for the most part of mammal skeletal remains, dating from the maximum of the 14C range (ca. 45,000 BP) to the Early Holocene. An overview of the data generated on the basis of all available measurements is given, focusing on stable isotopes. The data are discussed from various perspectives, such as the composition and biases of the database...Show moreDuring the last ice age, the North Sea was a dry land. Following the deglaciation, it became inundated because of the rising sea levels roughly 8 millennia ago. The North Sea region was inhabited by humans and animals and provides major archaeological insights. In this thesis, an analysis of the carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes of 14C dated skeletal remains from the North Sea is performed. The research question is to evaluate the potential outcome for paleo-ecological reconstructions during the Late Pleistocene and the Early Holocene, and contributions regarding human societies - in particular subsistence. The material consists for the most part of mammal skeletal remains, dating from the maximum of the 14C range (ca. 45,000 BP) to the Early Holocene. An overview of the data generated on the basis of all available measurements is given, focusing on stable isotopes. The data are discussed from various perspectives, such as the composition and biases of the database that is used in this thesis. An interesting observation is the difference in diet between Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene terrestrial mammals. This is caused by differences in the consumption of vegetation and suggests a change of landscape during this timerange. The isotope analysis of the North Sea material does confirm pre-existing hypotheses regarding dietary differences between animals. It also confirms the picture of how the North Sea area looked like many years ago: terrestrial and marine ecosystems dominated the Late Pleistocene landscape, after which it became more wet during the Early Holocene with the emergence of freshwater environments, the expansion of the marine environment and subsequent gradual disappearance of the terrestrial ecosystem. The potential of applying stable isotope research for paleo-ecological reconstructions is therefore clearly shown, even when it is based on a relatively limited sample of animal bones available.Show less

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Reconstructing the ecological setting of the North Sea area: stable isotope analysis of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene faunal remains