Carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotope ratios reveal geographic affinity and dietary status of Ajnala skeletal remains: A forensic anthropological study.

This article focuses on the use of stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope analysis of dentin collagen from 21 mandibular molars to investigate the geographic origin and dietary habits of badly damaged skeletal remains recovered from an abandoned well at Ajnala, India. The isotopic signatures indicate a predominance of a mixed C3/C4 plant-based diet consistent with regions of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal, coastal Orissa, and some northeastern Indian states, supporting historical accounts that these remains belong to soldiers of the 26th Native Bengal Infantry battalion killed during the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. While stable isotope values alone cannot definitively establish geographic origin, they provide corroborative evidence aligning with other bioarchaeological and historical data. The study demonstrates the potential of stable isotope analysis in forensic and bioarchaeological contexts for reconstructing life histories and aiding identification of unidentified human remains.