Several studies have revealed the subsistence strategies of Bronze Age people along Eastern Tianshan Mountains. However, all the previously revolved sites were permanent settlements. How people survived in arid harsh mountainous environment facing source scarcity during Bronze Age in the inner Asia is far beyond clear. This study focuses on bone carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic analysis of both human and faunal assemblage exhumed from Liushugou site, integrated with marcobotanical result and radiocarbon data to reveal human diets and subsistence strategy of this Bronze Age community. Stable carbon isotopic analysis of human bones (−19.1‰ to −17.2‰, −18.1 ± 0.4‰, n = 46) and macrobotanical results (barley) consistently indicating a nearly pure C3 based plants food intake. High δ15N values of the majority people (12.4‰ to 15.1‰, 13.4 ± 0.5‰, n = 44) point to heavy animal protein consumption. No detectable isotopic composition was observed between omnivores (boar, −19.0‰ and −17.5‰, 8.2‰ and 8.7‰, n = 2) and large number of herbivores (−20.0‰ to −9.7‰, −18 ± 1.7‰; 5.5‰ to 13.4‰, 8.4 ± 1.7‰; n = 56). Compared to those sites along Eastern Tianshan Mts. whose diets included millets/barley/wheat, humans at Liushugou site barely consumed millets during their occupation (3500–2900 cal BP). The diverse subsistence strategies of human populations demonstrate the active adaptations to different environment along Eastern Tianshan Mts. during Bronze Age.
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