scholarly journals Stones, Bones, and Hillfort: Radiocarbon Dating of ķivutkalns Bronze-Working Center

Radiocarbon ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 1252-1264 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Oinonen ◽  
A Vasks ◽  
G Zarina ◽  
M Lavento
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Bone Material ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Animal Bone ◽  
Archaeological Artifacts

The Bronze Age site of ķivutkalns with its massive amount of archaeological artifacts and human remains is considered the largest bronze-working center in Latvia. The site is a unique combination of cemetery and hillfort believed to be built on top of each other. This work presents new radiocarbon dates on human and animal bone collagen that somewhat challenge this interpretation. Based on analyses using a Bayesian modeling framework, the present data suggest overlapping calendar year distributions for the contexts within the 1st millennium BC. The carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios indicate mainly terrestrial dietary habits of studied individuals and nuclear family remains buried in one of the graves. The older charcoal data may be subject to the old-wood effect and the results are partly limited by the limited amount of data and the 14C calibration curve plateau of the 1st millennium BC. Therefore, the ultimate conclusions on contemporaneity of the cemetery and hillfort need to wait for further analyses on the massive amounts of bone material.

scholarly journals New data on agro-pastoral diets in southern Italy from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiola Arena ◽  
Emanuela Gualdi-Russo ◽  
Jesper Olsen ◽  
Bente Philippsen ◽  
Marcello A. Mannino
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Animal Protein ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Italian Regions ◽  
Economic Developments ◽  
The Bronze Age

Abstract The socio-cultural and economic developments that took place from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age are poorly understood, despite the fact that they were essential for the establishment of fully agro-pastoral economies in Europe. In this study, we aim to assess dietary changes in communities living in southern Italy during this period by examining stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios on human bone collagen. In particular, we investigated skeletal remains from seven sites in the southern Italian regions of Calabria (Grotta della Monaca, Grotta di Donna Marsilia and Grotta dell’Antenato), Basilicata (Murgia Timone, Grotta Funeraria and Toppo d’Aguzzo) and Apulia (Ipogeo dei Bronzi) to explore possible variations in diet between different geographic areas and periods. The results of the analysis on bone collagen extracts from 33 human and 12 faunal (sheep, dog, cattle and pigs) specimens attest that the diets of prehistoric southern Italians were mixed and based on the consumption of terrestrial resources, including generally moderate proportions of animal protein (e.g. meat and dairy products) and of C3 plants (e.g. cereals and legumes). Minor differences in the proportion of consumed meat are mostly dependent on the nature of regional environments, with individuals from Basilicata relying more on animal protein than those from Calabria and Apulia. Our study provides insights into the dietary habits of southern Italian populations during the prehistoric period that witnessed an increase both in agriculture and in pastoralism.

scholarly journals The Catacomb Cultures of the North-West Caspian Steppe: 14C Chronology, Reservoir Effect, and Paleodiet

Radiocarbon ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 713-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
N I Shishlina ◽  
J van der Plicht ◽  
R E M Hedges ◽  
E P Zazovskaya ◽  
V S Sevastyanov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Stable Isotope Ratios ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Bone Material ◽  
Reservoir Effect ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
The Bronze Age

For the Bronze Age Catacomb cultures of the North-West Caspian steppe area in Russia, there is a conflict between the traditional relative archaeological chronology and the chronology based on radiocarbon dates. We show that this conflict can be explained largely by the fact that most dates have been obtained on human bone material and are subject to 14C reservoir effects. This was demonstrated by comparing paired 14C dates derived from human and terrestrial herbivore bone collagen. In addition, values of stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) and analysis of food remains from vessels and the stomach contents of buried individuals indicate that a large part of the diet of these cultures consisted of fish and mollusks, and we conclude that this is the source of the reservoir effect.

scholarly journals Isotopes, Plants, and Reservoir Effects: Case Study from the Caspian Steppe Bronze Age

Radiocarbon ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 749-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Shishlina ◽  
E Zazovskaya ◽  
J van der Plicht ◽  
V Sevastyanov
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Alternative Explanation ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Human Diet ◽  
Human Bones ◽  
Animal Bone ◽  
Different Types ◽  
C And N ◽  
East And West

Bronze Age human and animal bone collagen from several steppe Bronze Age cultures (i.e. Early Catacomb, East and West Manych Catacomb, and Lola cultures) shows large variations in δ13C and δ15N values. In general, we observed that the older the sample, the lower the δ13C and δ15N values. We hypothesize that more positive values of δ13C and δ15N are caused by change in diet and a more arid climate. For ancient sheep during drier periods of the Early Catacomb, East and West Manych Catacomb, and Lola cultures, we observed 2 groups with different C and N isotopic compositions, reflecting consumption of different types of fodder. During periods of aridization, C4 and C3 plants with high δ15N values appeared in the vegetation, also influencing bone collagen values. Human bones show reservoir effects, caused by aquatic diet components. These effects can be quantified by paired dating of human bone and associated terrestrial samples. Reservoir corrections have revised chronologies for the region. Some paired dates do not reveal reservoir effects. This can be explained in 2 alternative ways. One is that the human diet did not include aquatic components; rather, the diet was based on C3 vegetation with high δ15N values (13–15‰), and flesh/milk of domesticated animals. An alternative explanation is that humans consumed food from freshwater resources without reservoir effects.

scholarly journals 14C Ages of Bone Fractions from Armenian Prehistoric Sites

Radiocarbon ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 569-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Cherkinsky ◽  
Christine Chataigner
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Organic Material ◽  
Separation Technique ◽  
Middle Paleolithic ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Bone Material ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Archaeological Artifacts ◽  
Good Agreement

Prehistoric cultures in Armenia are still poorly known; thus, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates are invaluable in constructing an accurate chronology. Bone samples have been collected from sites representing the Middle Paleolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early Bronze periods. Most of the bone samples are poorly preserved. We describe the separation technique for the extraction of both the bioapatite and collagen fractions. In many cases where the bone had very low organic material content, the collagen fractions yielded a younger age, although the ages of bioapatite fractions were found to be in good agreement with associated archaeological artifacts. In cases where bone was well preserved, both fractions exhibited ages in good agreement with the artifacts. The accuracy of 14C dating of bone material always depends on its degree of preservation, and each case should be carefully evaluated to determine which fraction is less contaminated in order to accurately date a burial event.

scholarly journals Isotopic Fractionation of Norwegian Materials for Radiocarbon Dating

Radiocarbon ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 980-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steinar Gulliksen
Keyword(s):  
Standard Error ◽  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Isotopic Fractionation ◽  
Wood Charcoal ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Standard Errors ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Bone Material ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
C Value

To improve reporting of radiocarbon dates, Stuiver and Polach (1977) recommend that reported standard errors should include the error in the applied δ13C value, and suggest estimated mean values for δ13C to be applied when not measured. Based on δ13C data for ca 250 samples measured during 1975-1979, mean values for different materials dated by the Trondheim radiocarbon laboratory have been compiled. All material is from Norway and Svalbard (marine bone collagen). For peat, gyttja, and terrestrial bone material, δ13C should be measured to obtain optimal precision in the dates. For shell, wood, charcoal, and marine bones, the standard error in an estimated δ13C value will only increase uncertainty of a date from ±50 years to ca ±55 years.

The Stable- and Radio-Isotope Chemistry of Western Basketmaker Burials: Implications for Early Puebloan Diets and Origins

2007 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Brenner Coltrain ◽  
Joel C. Janetski ◽  
Shawn W. Carlyle
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
American Southwest ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Stable Carbon ◽  
Large Collection ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Maize Agriculture ◽  
Great House ◽  
Four Corners

The timing and degree of reliance on maize agriculture in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest has been a central issue in studies that examine the origins of Puebloan society. Both diffusionist (various, but see Wills 1995) and migrationist (Berry and Berry 1986; Matson 1991) models have been proposed to explain the processes responsible for the movement of maize (Zea mays) north into the Four Corners region. This paper reports bone collagen stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values with paired accelerator radiocarbon dates on a large collection of human remains from western Basketmaker II/III sites in Marsh Pass and other areas of northeastern Arizona, as well as data on a small number of Puebloan remains including Chacoan Great House burials. The results make clear that Basketmaker II people were heavily dependent on maize by 400 B.C. Moreover, their degree of dependence is similar to that of Pueblo II and III farmers of the Four Corners region. These findings and the apparent rapidity of maize dependence support a migrationist model for the origins of maize farming in the northern Southwest.

scholarly journals Late Holocene spread of pastoralism coincides with endemic megafaunal extinction on Madagascar

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1955) ◽  
pp. 20211204
Author(s):  
Sean W. Hixon ◽  
Kristina G. Douglass ◽  
Brooke E. Crowley ◽  
Lucien Marie Aimé Rakotozafy ◽  
Geoffrey Clark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Late Holocene ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Zebu Cattle ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Exotic Animals ◽  
Isotope Data ◽  
Introduced Herbivores

Recently expanded estimates for when humans arrived on Madagascar (up to approximately 10 000 years ago) highlight questions about the causes of the island's relatively late megafaunal extinctions (approximately 2000–500 years ago). Introduced domesticated animals could have contributed to extinctions, but the arrival times and past diets of exotic animals are poorly known. To conduct the first explicit test of the potential for competition between introduced livestock and extinct endemic megafauna in southern and western Madagascar, we generated new radiocarbon and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data from the bone collagen of introduced ungulates (zebu cattle, ovicaprids and bushpigs, n = 66) and endemic megafauna (pygmy hippopotamuses, giant tortoises and elephant birds, n = 68), and combined these data with existing data from endemic megafauna ( n = 282, including giant lemurs). Radiocarbon dates confirm that introduced and endemic herbivores briefly overlapped chronologically in this region between 1000 and 800 calibrated years before present (cal BP). Moreover, stable isotope data suggest that goats, tortoises and hippos had broadly similar diets or exploited similar habitats. These data support the potential for both direct and indirect forms of competition between introduced and endemic herbivores. We argue that competition with introduced herbivores, mediated by opportunistic hunting by humans and exacerbated by environmental change, contributed to the late extinction of endemic megafauna on Madagascar.

Reconstructed Paleodiets and Subsistence Strategies of the Central Ciscaucasian Population (1000 BC to 1000 AD), Based on Collagen Isotope Analysis of Bone Samples from the Kichmalka II Burial Ground

2022 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 80-90
Author(s):  
A. N. Babenko ◽  
M. V. Dobrovolskaya ◽  
E. E. Vasilyeva ◽  
D. S. Korobov
Keyword(s):  
Isotopic Composition ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Nitrogen Isotopes ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
Anthropogenic Effect ◽  
Isotopic Signatures ◽  
Carbon And Nitrogen ◽  
Animal Bone

Settlement and economy patterns of the Iron Age and early medieval population of the Central North Caucasus evidence complex cultural processes in the region. The ecological approach including the evaluation of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the local biota opens up new prospects in the study of environments, climate, anthropogenic effect, land use, and nutrition. We analyze the isotopic composition of collagen in 19 human and 11 animal bone samples from Kichmalka II—a cemetery successively used by the Koban people, those of the Sarmatian stage, and Alans. The isotopic composition of the Alanian sample indicates a heavy predominance of plants with the C3-type photosynthesis in the diet of humans and animals. People who lived during the Koban and Sarmatian stages consumed also C4-plants, such as common millet (Panicum miliaceum), suggesting the rise of the trophic step for carbon (Δδ13Chuman-animal). Statistically signifi cant differences in the isotopic composition of carbon were found within the Koban population, apparently evidencing two dietary models. The Δδ15Nhuman-animal values fall within the trophic step, mirroring a focus on meat and dairy products in the diet of all groups. Comparison with respective data on the Klin-Yar III cemetery revealed differences in isotopic signatures in the diet of both humans and domestic animals during the Koban period. The possible reason is climatic change in the Iron Age and the variable share of millet in the diet of the Koban people. The low proportion of δ15N (below 4 ‰) in the bone collagen of goat, sheep, and horse of the Alanian period may attest to vertical transhumance.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document