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 δ13C and δ15N show that Mesolithic inhabitants of ‘Doggerland’ had a significant component of freshwater fish in their diet. This means the 14C 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 14C dates cannot be precisely calibrated to absolute ages. However, a distinct correlation is observed between the δ15N values and the (uncalibrated) 14C dates, suggesting a chronological development.