Abstract: In this paper, we analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in human teeth from the Neiyangyuan Site, Shanxi Province, in order to reconstruct diets, reveal lifestyle, and explore the effects of the Rongdi Minority on the human economy. The site belongs to the Jin Culture, with its archaeological emphasis on agriculture, however mean values of δ13 C ( - 8.27% ) and δ15 N ( 9.54% ) in thisresearch indicated that the lifestyle of these ancestors mainly relied on stockbreeding. Obviously these results might be influenced by the horde ( Rongdi) . The abnormal δ13 C value ( - 15.36 % )and the higher δ15 N value ( 9.88 %) from sample XNM50 indicated that hunting was a subsistence activity. Statistical analysis of δ13 C and δ15N values showed that there were no distinct sexual differences in diets but there were significant differences between graves of different sizes.

Key words: Neiyangyuan site; Jin culture; Tooth; Stable isotope analysis; Palaeodiet