Manolia Abbas
Research Mentor: Kara Larson
Mentor Department: Anthropology; Museum of Anthropological Archaeology, LSA
Author(s): Manolia Abbas, Kara Larson
Session: Session 1 (9:00 AM – 9:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 3
Abstract
This study uses stable carbon (d¹³C) and nitrogen (d¹5N) isotope analysis of faunal collagen from Early Bronze Age (3300-2300 B.C.E.) Tell el-Hesi, Palestine to reconstruct animal management strategies while also considering implications for animal and human health within early urban food systems. Collagen isotopes reflect long-term dietary intake, making them a reliable proxy for understanding how animals were provisioned and the conditions under which they were maintained. Carbon isotope values from caprine collagen indicate a mixed C3-C4 plant diet, suggesting flexible grazing strategies rather than tightly controlled feeding regimes. This pattern points to herds moving across varied landscapes or incorporating diverse fodder sources, reflecting adaptive management practices within a dynamic environment. Nitrogen isotope values show substantial variation, highlighting differences in grazing conditions and levels of stress. Elevated d¹5N values are particularly informative, as they are commonly associated with nutritional stress, water scarcity, or restricted access to quality forage. These signals suggest that some animals experienced periods of physiological stress, likely tied to environmental pressures or inconsistent provisioning strategies. These patterns have direct implications for health. Variability in animal diet and stress levels would have affected herd productivity, resilience, and overall condition, which in turn shaped the reliability and quality of food available to human populations. Fluctuations in animal health likely translated into uneven access to meat and secondary products, linking herd management practices to broader questions of community well-being. Overall, the collagen isotope data reveal a flexible but uneven system of animal management, where shifting environmental and socio-economic conditions directly impacted both animal welfare and the stability of human food systems.
