Examining prehistoric diet at Tung Wan Tsai, Ma Wan Island, Hong Kong through stable isotope analysis

In this study we describe some of the earliest human bone collagen δ13C and δ15N values from the Lingnan region in Southeast Asia. The samples (n = 10) derive from skeletal remains recovered from the Tung Wan Tsai site in Hong Kong and date to the Late Neolithic Period (ca. 2200–1500 BC). Our results show that the earliest inhabitants of Hong Kong relied heavily on marine resources, specializing particularly in high-trophic species. As organic preservation tends to generally be poor in the region, the successful extraction and analysis of collagen from these individuals has provided a rare glimpse into the everyday life of Neolithic Hong Kong and also provided an important foundation for future research.