Oxygen isotopes reveal water use and animal management in Bahrain from the Early Dilmun to the Islamic period
Keywords:
Arabian archaeology, stable isotope analysis, Bahrain, oxygen isotope analysis, multispeciesAbstract
Sourcing water was integral to Arabian subsistence practices, including consumption, irrigation, and herd management. Analysis of oxygen isotopes is a window into these practices. We analyse δ18Ocarbonate(VPDB) values from human and faunal archaeological teeth to illuminate aspects of species-specific animal management and the human management of water on Awal, the large island of Bahrain. We analysed sixty-four human teeth and forty-four faunal teeth dating from the Early Dilmun to the Islamic period (2050 BC–AD 1600). Ovicaprines demonstrate high variability in oxygen isotope values, particularly in the Islamic period, which corresponds to specific management practices. Human oxygen isotope values are also variable, and we argue that this is primarily due to local evaporative processes rather than to high mobility. Taken together, our results reflect the usefulness of oxygen isotope analyses but also their complex relationship to local hydrology and water management.
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