Richards, M. P. and Schulting, R. J. and Hedges, R. E. M. (2003)
'Sharp shift in diet at onset of Neolithic.', Nature., 425
(6956). p. 366. The introduction of domesticated plants and
animals into Britain during the Neolithic cultural period
between 5,200 and 4,500 years ago is viewed either as a rapid
event1 or as a gradual process that lasted for more than a
millennium2. Here we measure stable carbon isotopes present in
bone to investigate the dietary habits of Britons over the
Neolithic period and the preceding 3,800 years (the Mesolithic
period). We find that there was a rapid and complete change from
a marine- to a terrestrial-based diet among both coastal and
inland dwellers at the onset of the Neolithic period, which
coincided with the first appearance of domesticates. As well as
arguing against a slow, gradual adoption of agriculture and
animal husbandry by Mesolithic societies, our results indicate
that the attraction of the new farming lifestyle must have been
strong enough to persuade even coastal