Bone collagen hydrogen isotopes as tracers of local palaeoclimate

The Aurignacian from Isturitz cave (France) as a case study

Bibliographic Data

ID22414992
AuthorsM Ibáñez-Herranz (0000-0003-4939-0030, Universidad de Cantabria, corresponding author), Lucía Agudo Pérez (0000-0002-5121-2500, Universidad de Cantabria), M Fernández-García (0000-0001-9301-6877, Universitat de València), A Cicero-Cabañas (0009-0008-5215-9669, Universidad de Cantabria), Marie-Cécile Soulier (0000-0003-2439-7308, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), C Normand Orieux (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), A B Marín‐arroyo (0000-0003-3353-5581, Universidad de Cantabria, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume192
Pages106644
Publication date2026-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Archaeological Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0305-4403 • E-ISSN: 1095-9238
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.jas.2026.106644
OpenAlexW4415203363
LanguageEN
References cited112

Hydrogen stable isotopes (δ 2 H) preserved in bone collagen have been proposed as a promising proxy for palaeoclimatic reconstruction, though empirical applications remain limited. To evaluate the reliability and scope of this approach, we performed a multiisotopic analysis (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 34 S, and δ 2 H) on 50 herbivore bone samples collected from three archaeostratigraphic layers spanning the Aurignacian sequence of Isturitz Cave (France). This archaeological well-preserved, dated and studied site provides a robust framework for testing isotopic proxies across temporal and taxonomic gradients. Our results reveal a progressive δ 2 H depletion over ∼3000-year interval, consistent with predicted increasing aridity. We also identified species-specific δ 2 H differences, underscoring the need for taxonomic resolution in future applications and in general palaeoclimatic interpretations. While these samples reflect faunal remains accumulated through human activity—introducing potential ecological and sampling biases—they nonetheless provide valuable records of past local conditions. Overall, our findings support the potential of bone collagen δ 2 H as a sensitive indicator of past hydrological conditions and a complementary tool for reconstructing both climatic trends and humanenvironment dynamics.

Aurignacian · Cave · Human bone · Isotope · Isotope analysis · Sequence (biology) · Stable isotope ratio · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Marine and environmental studies · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology