Dogs, divers, deer and diet. Stable isotope results from Star Carr and a response to Dark Rick J. Schulting a, * , Michael P. Richards b, c a School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2PG, UK b Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany c Department of Archaeology, University of Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK article info Article history: Received 29 May 2008 Received in revised form 23 September 2008 Accepted 26 September 2008 Keywords: Stable isotopes Freshwater Marine Mesolithic Seamer Carr Dog abstract We here respond to Dark’s [Dark, P., 2003. Dogs, a crane (not duck) and diet at Star Carr: a response to Schulting and Richards. Journal of Archaeological Science 30, 1353–1356] criticisms of our previous paper [Schulting, R.J., Richards, M.P., 2002. Dogs, ducks, deer and diet: a reappraisal of the stable isotope evidence on early domestic dogs from the Vale of Pickering, north-east England. Journal of Archaeo- logical Science 29, 327–333] in which we supported the previous interpretation of stable isotope data from the Seamer Carr dog [Clutton-Brock, J., Noe-Nygaard, N., 1990. New osteological and C-isotope evidence on Mesolithic dogs: companions to hunters and fishers at Star Carr, Seamer Carr and Konge- mose. Journal of Archaeological Science 17, 643–653] as indicating a marine-influenced diet. Additional isotopic data are presented on fauna from Star Carr, most importantly from two piscivorous diving birds. These new data further support the original contention that marine protein is the most likely source of the elevated carbon and nitrogen isotope values seen in the Seamer Carr dog. In addition, cutmarks on the humerus of a Brent goose, and the presence of an additional element (right femur) attributable to the previously known adult dog from Star Carr, are noted for the first time. Two new AMS determinations are presented for Star Carr, placing an adult dog in the period 9680  55 BP (9270–8840 cal BC) and a subadult dog somewhat later at 934241 BP (8735–8475 cal BC). Unlike Seamer Carr, both dogs show entirely terrestrial (non-marine) diets. Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction In a previous issue of this journal (Schulting and Richards, 2002) we presented new stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data on two dogs from Seamer and Star Carr that, together with values for a crane (Grus grus), we argued supported the original contention of Clutton-Brock and Noe-Nygaard (1990) that the elevated d 13 C values of the Seamer Carr dog were the result of a significant input of marine-derived protein. This had implications not only for human subsistence, but also for settlement and mobility patterns of hunter-gatherers living in the Vale of Pickering in the early Holo- cene, and in the wider landscape of northeast Yorkshire. Dark (2003) subsequently published a response in which she re- stated her earlier position (Day, 1996) that the elevated d 13 C values for the Seamer Carr dog could be the result of foods derived from palaeolake Flixton rather than from the coast. She criticised various aspects of our analysis, including the supposed mis-identification of the common crane as a duck (this was used purely for alliterative purposes in the title, hence the quotes around ‘‘duck’’ the first time it appeared in the paper). A more substantive point relates to the diet of cranes, which she stated to be largely terrestrial rather than aquatic. Here, we respond to these criticisms primarily through the presentation of additional stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data on fauna from Star Carr, and also through a discussion of crane diet. We feel that this issue is an important one and so worth revisiting, not only for the implications for human groups and their use of the landscape in the early Holocene of northeast England and else- where, but also as a methodological issue. The ‘‘hardwater’’ conditions of palaeolake Flixton that led to elevated d 13 C levels in certain organisms in the lake system are not unique and can be expected to be a factor elsewhere, and therefore have wider implications for palaeodietary studies (Dufour et al., 1999; Kat- zenberg, 1989; Katzenberg and Weber, 1999). 2. Materials and methods New bone samples from Star Carr were obtained from domestic dog (Canis familiaris), wolf (Canis lupus), aurochs (Bos primigenius), European elk (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). For the avifauna, * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ44 (0)1865 278309; fax: þ44 (0)1865 278254. E-mail address: rick.schulting@arch.ox.ac.uk (R.J. Schulting). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Archaeological Science journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jas 0305-4403/$ – see front matter Ó 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2008.09.035 Journal of Archaeological Science 36 (2009) 498–503