Document Detail


Stable isotopes and dietary adaptations in humans and animals at pre-pottery Neolithic Nevalli Cori, southeast Anatolia.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16596597     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Human and animal bones from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B site of Nevali Cori (southeast Anatolia) were analyzed with regard to stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bone collagen, and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in bone carbonate. The reconstruction of the vertebrate food web at this site revealed that humans may have faced difficulties with meat procurement, since their stable-isotope ratios reflect a largely herbivorous diet. This is in contrast with the preceding Pre-Pottery Neolithic A contexts and late Neolithic sites in the Fertile Crescent, where humans are located at the top of the food chain. Conceivably, Nevali Cori represents a community in the transition from a hunting and gathering subsistence to an economy with agriculture and animal husbandry, since domesticated einkorn and sheep, pigs, and probably also goats are in evidence at the site. In the second half of the 9th millennium calibrated (cal.) BC, however, the contribution of stock on the hoof to the human diet still seems modest. Animals kept under cultural control obviously had a dietary spectrum different from their free-ranging relatives. We conclude that these animals had been deliberately nourished by their owners, whereby the overall low delta(15)N-signatures in both humans and livestock might result from the consumption of protein-rich pulses.
Authors:
Sandra Lösch; Gisela Grupe; Joris Peters
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Historical Article; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  American journal of physical anthropology     Volume:  131     ISSN:  0002-9483     ISO Abbreviation:  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol.     Publication Date:  2006 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2006-08-30     Completed Date:  2006-10-24     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0400654     Medline TA:  Am J Phys Anthropol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  181-93     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Biology I, Biodiversitätsforschung/Anthropologie, Biozentrum, University of Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adaptation, Physiological
Animals
Archaeology
Bone and Bones / chemistry
Carbon Isotopes / analysis
Diet / history*
Food Habits
Germany
History, Ancient
Humans
Nitrogen Isotopes / analysis
Nitrogen Radioisotopes / analysis
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Carbon Isotopes; 0/Nitrogen Isotopes; 0/Nitrogen Radioisotopes

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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