First palaeodietary isotopic data for the Tasmola culture population

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Abstract

The article presents the first results of dietary isotopic analysis of the population of the Tasmola culture (8th-5th centuries BC) of Central Kazakhstan. Samples from 30 objects, including 27 human and 3 faunal bones were used for the analysis. Stable nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) and carbon (δ¹³C) isotope analysis was carried out at the 14Chrono Centre for Climate, the Environment and Chronology, using standard methods of collagen preparation by an ultrafiltration method. The results for humans vary widely in both δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N. The variety of carbon isotope values in humans suggests that their diet included С₄ plants, apparently millet, which is specifically evident from four humans with the highest δ¹³C ratios from the sites of Koitas, Taldy-2, Akbeit and Karashoky. This indicates the existence of millet in Central Kazakhstan in the form of a seed culture or an imported product at the beginning of the Iron Age. The data shows that millet was consumed in this period in certain sites of Central Kazakhstan, but not everywhere. For further conclusions, larger sample (including faunal) is needed.

About the authors

Svetlana Vladimirovna Svyatko

Queen’s University Belfast

Email: ssvyatko01@qub.ac.uk

PhD, researcher of 14Chrono Center for Climate, the Environment and Chronology

United Kingdom, Belfast

Arman Ziyadenovich Beisenov

A.Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology

Author for correspondence.
Email: azbeisenov@mail.ru

candidate of historical sciences, head of Prehistoric Department

Kazakhstan, Almaty

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Supplementary files

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2. Figure 1 - Location of the monuments analyzed in this work. 1 - could. Bektauata; 2 - could. Runners; 3 - could. Kyzyl; 4 - "37 warriors" complex; 5 - could. Karashoky 1; 6 - could. Karashoky 6; 7 - could. Akbeit; 8 - could. Bakybulak; 9 - Sarybuyrat settlement; 10 - could. Koitas; 11 - could. Taisoigan; 12 - could. Taldy-2; 13 - could. Nurken-2; 14 - could. Nazar 2; 15 - could. Kyzylka; 16 - K. Zhamantas; 17 - could. Kosoba; 18 - could. Tandails-2; 19 - could. Kyzylshilik; 20 - Tagybaybulak settlement; 21 - could. Birlik

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3. Figure 2 - Results of isotopic analysis of people and animals of the Tasmola culture of Central Kazakhstan

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Copyright (c) 2017 Svyatko S.V., Beisenov A.Z.

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