# North Central Asia isotopic database for archaeological samples

## TL;DR

The NCAID is a large open-access database of isotopic data from archaeological remains in North Central Asia, spanning thousands of years.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a comprehensive and open-access isotopic database for archaeological research in North Central Asia.

## Key findings

- The database includes 3,143 entries of carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements from humans, animals, and plants.
- It provides geographical, contextual, and chronological data to support research on past human lifeways and environments.

## Abstract

The North Central Asia Isotopic Database (NCAID) is an open-access dataset of stable isotope measurements from archaeological remains, spanning from the Early Neolithic until present-day in North Central Asia. With 3,143 individual entries corresponding to data accumulated over more than 20 years of research, this comprehensive dataset encompasses measurements of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in organic fractions from archaeological humans, animals, and plants. NCAID incorporates diverse supporting information, providing geographical information, archaeological context descriptions, and chronology. This resource facilitates research into past human lifeways, paleo-environments/climates, and animal management practices throughout North Central Asia and will be continually updated as more novel data is released.