Stable isotope ( 13 C, 15 N and 34 S) analysis of the hair of modern humans and their domestic animals

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Abstract
Relationships between dietary status and recent migration were examined by δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 34 S analysis of hair samples from 43 modern humans living in a rural community in SW England. The isotopic content of 38 ‘local’ hair samples was compared with that of five recently arrived individuals (from Canada, Chile, Germany and the USA). Hair samples from domestic animals (i.e. mainly cats, dogs, cows and horses) were analysed to examine the difference in δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 34 S values between herbivores and carnivores. Generally, modern human hair data from the triple stable isotope (δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 34 S) provided enough information to confirm the dietary status and origin of the individual subjects. The dietary intake was generally reflected in the animal hair δ 15 N and δ 13 C values, i.e. highest in the carnivores (cats). However, a non‐local origin of food sources given to domesticated omnivores (i.e. dogs) was suggested by their hair δ 34 S values. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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