A Multidisciplinary Approach to Neolithic Life Reconstruction

Abstract

The expansion of Neolithic stable isotope studies in France now allows distinct regional population-scale food patterns to be linked to both local environment influences and specific economic choices. Carbon and nitrogen isotope values of more than 500 humans and of animal samples also permit hypotheses on sex-biased human provenance. To advance population scale research, we here present the first study that draws together carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulphur (S) and strontium (Sr), dental calculus, aDNA, and palaeoparasitology analysis to infer intra-population patterns of diet and provenance in a Middle Neolithic population from Le Vigneau 2 (human = 40; fauna = 12; 4720-4350 cal. BC) from north-western France. The data of the different studies, such as palaeoparasitology to detect diet and hygiene, CNS isotopes and dental calculus analysis to examine dietary staples, Sr and S isotopes to discriminate non-locals, and aDNA to detect maternal (mtDNA) versus paternal lineages (Y chromosome), were compared to anthropological information of sex and age. Collagen isotope data suggest a similar diet for all individuals except for one child. The provenance isotopic studies suggest no clear differences between sexes, suggesting both males and females used the territory in a similar pattern and had access to foods from the same environments.

Multi-proxy stable isotope analyses of dentine microsections reveal diachronic changes in life history adaptations, mobility, and tuberculosis-induced wasting in prehistoric Liguria (Finale Ligure, Italy, northwestern Mediterranean)

“…Each tooth was processed for incremental dentine analysis according Beaumont et al protocol (Beaumont et al, 2013), and the collagen was extracted according to the laboratory standard protocols (e.g. Goude et al, 2018). A sagittal section of each tooth was performed with a IsoMet® precision saw in order to obtain two equal parts from the tip of a cusp to the tip of a root.…”

“…(e.g. Drucker et al, 2018;Goude et al, 2018;Jovanović et al, 2019). While bone biogeochemical composition provides general information covering the time of its formation and renewal (last years of life, depending on age and physiology; e.g.…”

A multi-isotope analysis of Neolithic human groups in the Yonne valley, Northern France: insights into dietary patterns and social structure

“…The combination of isotopic methods to other techniques as dental calculus analyses or paleoparasitology could bring more information about individual plant consumption (e.g. Goude et al 2018). Anyway, cereal cultivation with animal manure can elevate the δ 15 N values and register higher nitrogen isotopic ratios in humans eating manured crops than herbivores eating unmanured forage (Bogaard et al 2013;Gron et al 2017).…”

“…Sulphur (S) isotopic analyses are more rare but are increasingly being included in multi-proxy analyses to better document the dietary patterns, as well as the mobility patterns (e.g. Drucker et al 2016b;Goude et al 2018;Nehlich 2015).…”

Asian Crop Dispersal in Africa and Late Holocene Human Adaptation to Tropical Environments

“…As a consequence, agriculture tends to be seen from a semi-arid perspective; better data on forest-zone crops might well transform existing models (Blench 2006, p. 203;Blench 2007, p. 607, emphasis added). While Blench's statement overlooks the many novel archaeobotanical methods that are now available for studying vegetative crops, such as starch, phytolith, parenchyma and pollen analyses (Goude et al 2019;Haberle 1995;Lentfer 2009;Mbida Mindzié et al 2000;Power et al 2015;Pryor et al 2013), these have only rarely been applied in Africa to address the question of Asian crop introductions, and are plagued by methodological issues associated with poor preservation and uncertain taxonomic specificity. As such, linguistics remains a key method of enquiry.…”