Understanding Final Neolithic communities in south-eastern Poland: New insights on diet and mobility from isotopic data

PLoS One. 2018 Dec 19;13(12):e0207748. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207748. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

We present the first comprehensive multi-isotopic data on human and animal remains from the Final Neolithic Corded Ware culture (ca. 2900-2300 cal. BC) in south-eastern Poland. The study focused on communities of two settlement areas located in the Małopolska Upland and in the Subcarpathian region. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes of bone collagen were investigated to obtain insights into human dietary preferences, whereas the strontium isotope composition of human tooth enamel was used to trace the mobility and provenance of individuals. Sr isotope data point to a non-local origin of at least one-quarter of the investigated individuals in the Subcarpathian region, consistent with associated allochthonous grave inventories of eastern or western origins. In contrast, all investigated individuals in the Małopolska Upland were of local origin. Furthermore, our study shows an example that the use of fauna for the assessment of the local 87Sr/86Sr range of an archaeological site can lead to incorrect conclusions and suggests that a detailed Sr isotopic survey of the geological background and its hydrologic elements is necessary to provide conclusive constraints for the identification of local and non-local individuals in prehistoric communities. Carbon and nitrogen isotope composition of bone collagen indicate an omnivorous diet that included C3-based terrestrial plant and animal resources, in which plant food dominated. In both regions, there were no significant sex differences in dietary intakes. Higher δ15Ncoll values of younger infants presumably reflect the effect of weaning.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone and Bones / chemistry*
  • Carbon Isotopes / analysis
  • Carbon Radioisotopes / analysis
  • Collagen / chemistry
  • Dental Enamel / chemistry
  • Diet / history*
  • Female
  • Fossils*
  • Geological Phenomena
  • History, Ancient
  • Human Migration / history*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Nitrogen Isotopes / analysis
  • Poland
  • Strontium Isotopes / analysis

Substances

  • Carbon Isotopes
  • Carbon Radioisotopes
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Nitrogen-15
  • Strontium Isotopes
  • Strontium-86
  • Strontium-87
  • Carbon-14
  • Collagen
  • Carbon-13

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, NCN, Grants No. 2015/19/B/HS3/02149, 2016/20/S/HS3/00307, and by the European Research Council, FP/2007-2013, Advanced Grant No. 269442, The Rise. The research of ZB and ŁP was additionally supported by National Science Centre (Poland) research grant no. 2015/17/B/HS3/00114. The authors would like to thank the Foundation of the Rzeszów Archaeological Centre for providing the research materials.