The Cyprus Institute

Stable isotope geochemistry has become an important tool in archaeological science, enabling the investigation of complex relationships between environment, human societies, and material culture. Through the combined analysis of carbon (δ¹³C), nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), oxygen (δ¹⁸O), and sulfur (δ³⁴S) isotopes, it is possible to reconstruct dietary practices, mobility patterns, and technological behaviors that influenced the lives of ancient populations.

Multi-isotope investigations of human and animal remains, along with environmental samples, provide critical insights into the structure of past ecosystems. Distinctions between terrestrial, freshwater, and marine food sources can be identified, while isotopic variability between regions allows the detection of mobility across geochemically diverse landscapes. In particular, sulfur isotopes offer enhanced resolution in tracing environmental gradients and differentiating overlapping carbon–nitrogen signals, supporting more refined reconstructions of diet and movement.
The establishment of isotopic baselines from modern terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems forms a crucial foundation for archaeological interpretation. Variations in isotopic signatures reflect the influence of climate, geology, soil conditions, and proximity to the coast, enabling the identification of ecological zones and resource exploitation strategies. Such baseline datasets provide a comparative framework for interpreting archaeological remains and assessing past human–environment interactions.

Beyond bioarcheological contexts, isotopic methodologies are increasingly applied to material culture—including mortars, marbles, glass, and stone artifacts—to investigate raw material provenance, construction technologies, and patterns of production and exchange. These approaches create a geochemical link between human activity and the material record, connecting biological and built environments within a unified analytical perspective.

Stable isotope fingerprinting provides a comprehensive approach to reconstruct past lifeways across environmental, biological, and material domains. This approach is particularly effective in the Eastern Mediterranean, a region characterized by environmental diversity and a long history of mobility, trade, and cultural interaction.

 

 

Dr. Dafni Kyropoulou, Research Associate Stable Isotope Unit, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece [https://inn.demokritos.gr/person/dafni-kyropoulou/]
Research Associate and Principal Investigator at the Stable Isotope Unit, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR “Demokritos”, in Greece. She holds a PhD in Isotopic Geochemistry from the Geology Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in cooperation with NCSR “Demokritos” and an MSc in Conservation Science from Cardiff University, UK.

Her research integrates isotopic geochemistry, cultural heritage science, and data analytics, with a particular focus on stable isotope systems (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, δ³⁴S). She applies multi-isotope approaches to a wide range of materials—including ancient mortars, marbles, glass, human remains, and environmental samples—to investigate provenance, technological processes, and the relationships between cultural practices and environmental change.
She has coordinated and contributed to numerous national and European-funded research projects focused on the scientific analysis and digital documentation of archaeological materials. Dr. Kyropoulou has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in applied geochemistry, archaeometry, and materials science, and has extensive experience in laboratory management, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of data-driven methodologies in cultural heritage research.

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