Palaeodietary study of Sanxingcun Site, Jintan, Jiangsu

C and N stable isotope ratios of 19 human bones in Sanxingcun Site, Jintan, Jiangsu Province, were measured to explore the lifestyle and social economic structure. Although the bone collagen degraded to different extents, the atomic ratio of C/N was located in the range of 2.9–3.6, indicating that they were preserved very well. Average δ13C value (20.05±0.21‰), average δ 15N value (9.69±0.33‰) and poor positive correlation between each other suggested that rice agriculture was dominant with hunting-fishing supplemented in human lifestyle. Poor negative correlation between δ 15N values and C3 percentages of foods implied relative independence of rice agriculture and hunting-fishing. Compared to Hemudu Site and Qingpu Site, rice agriculture was developed further, but hunting-fishing decreased. The mode for people in Sanxingcun Site to get the meat was still in the initial exploitation. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX3.SYW.N12), Startup Fund for Returnees of Ministry of Education, President Fund of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and President Fund from Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences