Abstract: The Nalintaohai ancient site, located along a bend in the Yellow River in Bayanaoer, Inner Mongolia, is very important site of the Han Dynasty. In this study, we examine Nalintaohai human paleodiet using stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen found in bone collagen. Nitrogen isotopic ratios of bone collagen show that the Nalintaohai inhabitants ate plenty of animal products and some plants. Carbon isotopic ratios show that the human diet is composed of C4 plants. It is clear that these inhabitants tried to establish stock raising and farming, which created a large degree of social wealth. By comparing stable isotopic data from different times and sites throughout the southern part of central Inner Mongolia, C4 consumption still played a minor ?role ?in ?human ?diets,? while? Han ?Dynasty ?human ?δ15N values are higher than from other periods.

Key words: Hetao area; Han Dynasty; Human skeleton; Stable isotope; Carbon and nitrogen