Surf'n Turf in Doggerland: Dating, stable isotopes and diet of Mesolithic human remains from the southern North Sea

The North Sea bed host remains of Pleistocene and Early Holocene landscapes that were, mostly gradually, inundated following the last deglaciation. Archaeological remains from the seabed obtained by fishing, dredging, and sand suppletion include human skeletal remains. Radiocarbon dating reveals that most of these are Mesolithic although a few Late Palaeolithic and historic remains are represented. Samples with known stable isotope ratios delta C-13 and delta N-15 show that Mesolithic inhabitants of `Doggerland' had a significant component of freshwater fish in their diet. Thismeans the C-14 dates are subject to a reservoir effect mainly determined by the freshwater bodies at the time. Because of the lack of context, the magnitude of the reservoir effect cannot be derived, so that the C-14 dates cannot be precisely calibrated to absolute ages. However, a distinct correlation is observed between the delta N-15 values and the (uncalibrated) C-14 dates, suggesting a chronological development. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.