ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how a rigorous and thoughtful application of stable isotope analysis of both human and animal skeletal remains can further inform our understanding of the complex dynamics of mobile pastoralist communities. It explores how the successful use of stable isotopic approaches in pastoralist archaeology can be further supported by proof of concept studies that identify how herding practices are expressed isotopically in animal skeletal remains, as well as additional research examining how isotopic variation in pastoralist dietary intake sourced from livestock, cereals, and wild resources such as fish is isotopically transferred to their body tissue. In addition to examining the promises and challenges of using stable isotope analysis in pastoralist archaeology, the chapter also provides a brief overview of the current state of isotopic research on pastoralist dietary intake, mobility, and husbandry practices in Old World contexts.
