Shifting weaning practices in Early Neolithic Cis‐Baikal, Siberia: New insights from stable isotope analysis of molar micro‐samples

Abstract

Reconstructing individual dietary histories at Shamanka II, an Early Neolithic (7000–5700 cal. BP) Kitoi hunter‐gatherer cemetery in Cis‐Baikal, Siberia, revealed surprising intrapopulation variability in childhood diets. Stable isotope analytical data produced by micro‐sampled first molars identified changes in both the timing and rate of weaning for different individuals. Further, examination within the framework of a high‐resolution radiocarbon chronology identified shifting practices between two phases of cemetery use, and additional links with mortuary treatment that indicates differences relating to group and/or family structure. The differential treatment of infants, correlated with the complex hunter‐gatherer social structure, and subsequent burial treatment evident at this cemetery are investigated in light of regional dietary trends.

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)

“…As expected, all the individuals analyzed here appear to have had shortened TBF when compared to the 3-5 years reported for hunter-gatherers, but SMP individuals show more gradual changes in isotopic ratios during growth. Overall, SMP BWPs appear to be at the later end of the variation displayed by early prehistoric agriculturalists (Cienkosz-Stepanczak et al, 2017;Fernández-Crespo et al, 2018;Howcroft, 2013;Howcroft et al, 2014;Pearson et al, 2010Pearson et al, , 2015Scharlotta et al, 2018b) and modern non-industrial agriculturalists (Dettwyler, 2004;Kennedy, 2005;Marlowe, 2005;Sellen, 2001aSellen, , 2001bSellen, , 2006Sellen, , 2007Sellen, , 2009Sellen and Smay, 2001). This may offer further evidence to inform the current debate on factors affecting female fertility among early agriculturalists (Bentley et al, 2001;Ellison, 2001;Page et al, 2016).…”

“…Comparable variation is present through the Metal Ages and protohistory (e.g. Fernández-Crespo et al, 2018;Howcroft, 2013;Scharlotta et al, 2018aScharlotta et al, , 2018b, and only in post-medieval times is there evidence from incremental dentine studies of TBF before 2 years of age (King et al, 2005). Estimates of the introduction of supplementary foods based on isotopic ratios range from 0.5 to 2 years, according to bone and dentine studies (review in Howcroft, 2013).…”

“…Studies estimating the timing of the cessation of breast-feeding employing dentine profiles use the point at which δ 15 N values cease to decline and reach a plateau (e.g. Eerkens et al, 2011;Beaumont et al, 2013;Sandberg et al, 2014;Scharlotta et al, 2018b). Based on this principle, most individuals in our sample, regardless of the chronology, show an interruption in the sharp decline of δ 15 N values between the age of 3 and 4 years old (except for one ICC Neolithic individual, Arma dell'Aquila RS3, discussed below).…”

Isotopic reconstruction of short to absent breastfeeding in a 19th century rural Dutch community

“…Even with metaphyseal samples meant to capture a shorter period of time than other bones, the time-averaging may be too great to clearly pick up a short breastfeeding period, especially if the δ 15 N tropic shift is less pronounced because complimentary feeding began at a very young age meaning breastfeeding episodes were less frequent and non-maternal foods made up a significant portion of the diet. This is a large part of why this intra-long bone approach seemingly worked better in a population with a long breastfeeding-weaning period of 3–4 years [ 89 , 105 , 106 ]. δ 15 N values reflect dietary protein, and, if soon after birth, the predominate protein source was cow’s milk we would not see markedly higher infant values.…”

WEaning Age FiNder (WEAN): a tool for estimating weaning age from stable isotope ratios of dentinal collagen

“…The abovementioned studies pursue the aim of increasing the temporal resolution of the isotopic analysis and reconstructing intra-individual dietary changes across childhood. However, albeit infant feeding practices are often investigated using incremental dentine stable isotope analysis, the estimation of weaning onset and completion are performed visually (Ganiatsou et al 2022;Lee et al 2020;Scharlotta et al 2018).…”