Multi-isotope zooarchaeological investigations at Abri du Maras: The paleoecological and paleoenvironmental context of Neanderthal subsistence strategies in the Rhône Valley during MIS 3

Britton, Kate; Jimenez, Elodie‐Laure; Corre, Maëla Le; Pederzani, Sarah; Daujeard, Camille; Jaouen, Klervia; Vettese, Delphine; Tütken, Thomas; Hublin, Jean‐Jacques; Moncel, Marie‐Hélène

doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103292

Cited by 16 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 168 publications

(258 reference statements)

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“…Using these techniques, past human and faunal movements can be identified through the relating of variations in tooth enamel 87 Sr/ 86 Sr to strontium bioavailability maps (isoscapes; Capo et al, 1998;Bentley, 2006), and placed within a seasonal framework provided by co-measured δ 18 O data (e.g., Gigleux et al, 2019). Characterisation of movements can also employ spatial assignment tools to empirically identify probable winter and summer ranges (e.g., Wooller et al, 2021;Britton et al, 2023). By understanding movements of past fauna found at archaeological sites, archaeologists can recreate living landscapes encountered by early hominins, enhancing our understanding of past hunting strategies, landscape use, and other aspects of human palaeoecology.…”

Section: Reconstructing Faunal Spatial Palaeoecology Using Strontium ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following strontium isotope analysis, second and third molars from red deer were chosen for carbonate analysis alongside 87 Sr/ 86 Sr analysis, except for red deer LAZ-T9 in which case the M1 was the only molar which was available for sampling. While oxygen isotope analysis of the phosphate component is often considered more desirable in Late Pleistocene studies (e.g., Britton et al, 2019Britton et al, , 2023Pederzani et al, 2021a,b), due to the increased resistance to diagenesis, carbonate analysis is not uncommon (Sponheimer and Lee-Thorp, 2001;Rivals et al, 2015;Pilaar Birch et al, 2016;Price et al, 2017) and studies have demonstrated enamel (as opposed to bone) preserves in vivo signals in even very ancient samples (e.g., Iacumin et al, 1996). Here, we made the decision to undertake carbonate oxygen isotope analysis because, in addition to being more time-and cost-effective to undertake, it is sufficient to produce the intra-tooth profiles required to 'anchor' intra-tooth isotope data.…”

Section: Oxygen Isotopic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laser ablation strontium isotopes and spatial assignment show seasonal mobility in red deer (Cervus elaphus) at Lazaret Cave, France (MIS 6)

Barakat

Corre²,

Willmes³

et al. 2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Zooarchaeological analysis is a useful means of exploring faunal palaeoecology, paleoclimate and past human behaviours. The Middle Pleistocene archaeological site Lazaret Cave, located in modern-day Nice, France, features a vast assemblage of faunal remains pertinent to the understanding of early Neanderthal subsistence behaviours as well as red deer (Cervus elaphus) ecology during MIS 6. This pilot study examines materials from archaeological layer UA25, a short-term occupation layer at Lazaret dating to ~150,000 years ka, which has revealed 28 early Neanderthal remains as well as thousands of faunal bones, of which red deer and ibex (Capra ibex) are most abundant. Molars from three red deer mandibles and a single ibex were analysed for strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotopic analysis using laser ablation mass spectrometry to determine animal movements during tooth formation, combined with intra-tooth oxygen (δ18O) isotope analysis to determine seasonality. The isotope data was modelled within a local 87Sr/86Sr isoscape and computational spatial assignment was undertaken to reconstruct potential summer and winter ranges of red deer. Results from this pilot study show seasonal mobility within 20 km of Lazaret, identifying two possible summer and winter ranges for the red deer excavated from UA25. Both possible summer ranges are located at higher elevations further from Lazaret while winter ranges have been assigned to lower elevations closer to the coastline and closer to Lazaret. The ibex shows no 87Sr/86Sr variation throughout the first, second and third molar and the spatial assignment indicates it lived proximal to the site during the period of tooth formation. In addition to providing the first evidence of red deer spatial ecology in southern France during MIS 6, we also infer from the faunal isotope data that hominins at Lazaret Cave were likely hunting red deer in autumn and winter when they were closer to the cave site, while hunting in summer would have required up to 20 km of travel.

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Section: Reconstructing Faunal Spatial Palaeoecology Using Strontium ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Oxygen Isotopic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser ablation strontium isotopes and spatial assignment show seasonal mobility in red deer (Cervus elaphus) at Lazaret Cave, France (MIS 6)

Barakat

Corre²,

Willmes³

et al. 2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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“…Mammalian tooth enamel provides another powerful tool for palaeoclimatic reconstructions, as its oxygen isotope composition reflects seasonal climatic variations during tooth mineralisation (D'Angela and Longinelli, 1993;van Dam and Reichart, 2009;Drucker et al, 2011;Fabre et al, 2011;Zazzo et al, 2012). Isotopic variations in tooth enamel from different regions and time periods have been investigated, mainly from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 (130-70 ka;Helmens, 2014;Bernard et al, 2009;Fabre et al, 2011;Skrzypek et al, 2011;Scherler et al, 2014;Britton et al, 2019;Pederzani et al, 2021bPederzani et al, , 2023, or MIS 3 (59-29 ka Voelker et al, 2002;Pushkina et al,2014;Britton et al, 2023;Pederzani et al, 2021bPederzani et al, , 2023.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since mammals have a rather constant body temperature (~36-39°C, depending on taxon; Watanabe et al, 2016), tooth enamel δ 18 O values (δ 18 O enamel ) are only a little affected by temperature-related isotope fractionation. Therefore, the oxygen isotope composition of the skeleton largely reflects the δ 18 O of ingested water (Longinelli, 1984;Iacumin and Longinelli, 2002;Fabre et al, 2011;Mayr et al, 2016;Britton et al, 2019Britton et al, , 2023.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal climate variations during Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 2 inferred from high‐resolution oxygen isotope ratios in horse tooth enamel from Lower Austria

Reiss,

Mayr,

Pasda

et al. 2024

J Quaternary Science

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We present sequential oxygen isotope records (δ18Ophosphate vs. VSMOW) of horse tooth enamel phosphate of six individuals from two adjacent Palaeolithic sites in Lower Austria. Three molars from the site Krems‐Wachtberg date to 33–31k cal a bp, and three molars from Kammern‐Grubgraben to 24–20k cal a bp. All teeth show seasonal isotope variations, which are used to reconstruct the annual oxygen isotope composition of drinking water (δ18Odw) and palaeotemperatures. Measured δ18Ophosphate values ranged from 8.6 to 13.0‰ and from 10.8 to 13.9‰ at Krems‐Wachtberg and Kammern‐Grubgraben, respectively. An inverse modelling approach was used to reconstruct summer and winter temperatures after a correction for glacial oceanic source water δ18O. Reconstructed annual δ18Odw was −16.4 ± 1.5‰ at Krems‐Wachtberg and −15.3 ± 1.4‰ at Kammern‐Grubgraben, resulting in annual temperatures of −5.7 ± 3.1 and −3.5 ± 2.9°C, respectively. Summer and winter temperatures reconstructed from individual teeth exhibit high seasonal variations with moderate summer temperatures and extremely low winter temperatures typical for a polar tundra climate. Isotopic differences between individuals are attributed to interannual climate variability or to different drinking water sources. Our reconstructed temperatures are, overall, consistent with previously reported values from European horse teeth, when taking regional differences into account.

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“…Studies have analysed faunal remains to infer trade and exchange networks 2 , 3 , and other aspects of past economies and societies, including transhumance, animal husbandry and herding practices 4 , 5 . Other archaeological and palaeontological studies have focused on wild taxa to explore seasonal animal palaeobiogeography, including the reconstruction of past migratory behaviours in extinct species 6 , 7 and important prey-species, as a means to better understand the movement patterns, landscape use and subsistence decisions of human groups that depended on them 8 – 11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison between strip sampling and laser ablation methods to infer seasonal movements from intra-tooth strontium isotopes profiles in migratory caribou

Corre

Grimes

Lam

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Strontium isotopes analysis is a powerful tool in the study of past animal movements, notably the sequential analysis of tooth enamel to reconstruct individual movements in a time-series. Compared to traditional solution analysis, high resolution sampling using laser-ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) has the potential to reflect fine scale mobility. However, the averaging of the 87Sr/86Sr intake during the enamel mineralization process may limit fine scale inferences. We compared solution and LA-MC-ICP-MS 87Sr/86Sr intra-tooth profiles from the second and third molars of 5 caribou from the Western Arctic herd, Alaska. Profiles from both methods showed similar trends, reflecting the seasonal migratory movements, but LA-MC-ICP-MS profiles showed a less damped 87Sr/86Sr signal than solution profiles. Geographic assignments of the profile endmembers to the known summer and winter ranges were consistent between methods and with the expected timing of enamel formation but showed discrepancy at a finer scale. Variations on LA-MC-ICP-MS profiles, consistent with expected seasonal movements, suggested more than an admixture of the endmember values. However, more work in understanding enamel formation in Rangifer, and other ungulates, and how 87Sr/86Sr daily intake translates into enamel are needed to assess the real resolution that can be achieved with LA-MC-ICP-MS.

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Multi-isotope zooarchaeological investigations at Abri du Maras: The paleoecological and paleoenvironmental context of Neanderthal subsistence strategies in the Rhône Valley during MIS 3

Cited by 16 publications

References 168 publications

Laser ablation strontium isotopes and spatial assignment show seasonal mobility in red deer (Cervus elaphus) at Lazaret Cave, France (MIS 6)

Laser ablation strontium isotopes and spatial assignment show seasonal mobility in red deer (Cervus elaphus) at Lazaret Cave, France (MIS 6)

Seasonal climate variations during Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 2 inferred from high‐resolution oxygen isotope ratios in horse tooth enamel from Lower Austria

Comparison between strip sampling and laser ablation methods to infer seasonal movements from intra-tooth strontium isotopes profiles in migratory caribou

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