Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 43 (1) 2015

Annotation:  The Lower Paleolithic of Iran: Probing New Finds from Mar Gwergalan Cave (Holeylan, Central Zagros) The Mesolithic of the Forest-Steppe Don Area: Retrospective and Prospective Reviews Morphology and Decoration of Ceramics from Novoilyinka III—A Chalcolithic Settlement in Northern Kul Two New Finds of the Chalcolithic–Bronze Age from the Fars River in the Northwestern Caucasus Late Bronze Age Burial Complexes of the Pakhomovskaya Culture, Eastern Variant (Site of Grishkina Za Weaponry, Adornments, and Garment Accessories from the Krasnyi Stroitel Site in the Chuy Valley of K Pendant Cross from Fort Albazin: Problems of Attribution Kholyato-1 Ritual Complex on the Yamal Peninsula The Medieval Metal Face from Novosibirsk Region as an Item of the Transcultural Material Complex in Johann Georg Gmelin and Tomskaya Pisanitsa (to the Three Hundred and Fifth Anniversary of the Resear Vegetation Reconstruction in the Ufa II Fortifi ed Settlement and in Adjacent Landscapes According t Stable-Isotope Analysis as a Method of Taxonomical Identifi cation of Archaeozoological Material Siberian Folklore and the Na-Dené Origins “As the Measure and Beauty Suggest”: Traditional Principles of Geometry in Russian Orthodox Churches The Burial at Ak-Alakha-3 Mound 1, Gorny Altai: New Findings   

Stable-Isotope Analysis as a Method of Taxonomical Identifi cation of Archaeozoological Material

E.N. Gorlova, О.А. Krylovich, А.V. Tiunov, B.F. Khasanov, D.D. Vasyukov, and А.B. Savinetsky.

The paper discusses the possibility of using carbon isotope composition (ratio of 13С/12С) and nitrogen isotope composition (ratio of 15N/14N) for taxonomic diagnostics of animal bone remains from archaeological sites and other ancient deposits. The world literature pertaining to the use of stable-isotope analysis (SIA) in animal trophic ecology and methodological diffi culties of work with subfossil material are reviewed. Several particular cases show a successful application of SIA for taxonomic identifi cation of the archaeozoological remains, especially bones of brown and polar bears, large sea mammals and a few species of Anseriformes.

Keywords: Stable isotopes, animal bones, taxonomical identifi cation, archaeozoology, Ursus, Hydrodamalis gigas.