Authors
Abstract
The present study relies on determination of diet by adapting analysis on carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes extracted from dental collagen of twelve human skeletons buried in Iron Age grave situated in Gohar Tapeh archaic settlement at eastern region of Mazandaran Province, locating on southern coast of Caspian Sea.
The geographical and geometric evidences indicate that Gohar Tapeh zone is situated on a sedimentary plain. On the other hand, discovery of animal’s archaeological data such as ovine species as well as plants’ archeological evidences like barley and the signs relating to farming activities in this zone obtained by using lamella that forms 70% of total stone-made tools, suggesting that animal husbandry and agriculture were among the major activities done by inhabitants in this region.
The results came from analysis on isotopes of carbon (13) and nitrogen (15) also confirmed that the inhabitants had consumed land mammals in their diet in this area. Concentration levels of isotope of carbon 13 which are approximately -20.2 through -19.9 per thousand units signify that there is no sign of consuming plant (C4) in diet of inhabitant people in this region and like today, plants (C3) had been consuming as the dominant flora throughout this zone. The resulting levels of isotopes of nitrogen -15 are about 8.79-11.3 per thousand units so this indicates the presence of land herbivorous animals (Ovine Species) and plants- C3 (wheat and barley) in the given diet. Thus, results of isotopic analysis done for Gohar Tapeh zone show a diet based on plant- C3 ecology in this land. Comparison between results of analysis on samples taken from Gohar Tapeh zone and results of analysis on three other zones (outside Iran) also verifies this point.
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