Last hunters–first farmers: new insight into subsistence strategies in the Central Balkans through multi-isotopic analysis

Abstract

This paper presents new results of stable isotope analysis made on human and animal bones from Mesolithic-Neolithic sites (9500-5200 cal BC) in the Central Balkans. It reconstructs dietary practices in the Mesolithic and documents the development of new subsistence strategies and regional differences during the process of Neolithisation. We achieved these insights into dietary changes by analysing bone collagen δ 13 C (n = 75), δ 15 N (n = 75) and δ 34 S (n = 96) and comparing stable isotope data of Mesolithic-Neolithic communities from the Danube Gorges with the data of the first farmers who lived outside of the Gorges in the Central Balkans. The Bayesian model was employed to evaluate the relative importance of different animal proteins in human diet. Results bring a new overview and highlight important chronological and regional differences. They suggest that Late Mesolithic humans included more anadromous and potamodromous fish in their diet, which is consistent with archaeozoological evidence. On the other hand, differing from archaeozoological data, the model also points to a greater reliance on terrestrial carnivores (dogs) in the Late Mesolithic diet, a pattern that can be also explained by other dietary and environmental factors. In the Transitional and Neolithic period in the Gorges, some individuals have consumed fewer aquatic resources and favoured more terrestrial products. However, one site in the Gorges represents an exception-Ajmana, where we have the earliest farmers in this region since their subsistence economy was mainly oriented toward terrestrial products. Furthermore, results shows that Neolithic individuals inhumated at sites outside of the Danube Gorges in the Balkans had dietary patterns that vary in both terrestrial and freshwater resources, indicating that early farming communities had a diversified diet linked to a local natural environment. Comparative data finally indicates regional differentiations associated with locally available resources but also related to the traditions of prehistoric communities and to specific economic innovations.

Living off the land: Terrestrial-based diet and dairying in the farming communities of the Neolithic Balkans

“…So far, the only exception from this pattern in the Balkans are the well-known sites from the Iron Gates (less than 100 km SE from Starčevo-Grad), where aquatic products played dominant role in the human diet. This was confirmed not only by organic residue pottery analyses [ 22 ], but also by isotopic analyses on human remains [ 19 , 109 – 111 ] and archaeozoological studies [ 112 – 114 ]. Such a diversity in the human subsistence between the specialized fishing communities in the gorges on one side, and the farming villages in the plains on the other reflects the complex dynamics behind the neolithisation process in this specific area, where the interaction between immigrating farmers and local hunter-gatherer-fishers, and the availability of arable land played crucial roles [ 19 , 111 , 115 ].…”

Effects of marine biofertilisation on Celtic bean carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopes: Implications for reconstructing past diet and farming practices

“…Consumption of the biofertilised crop would incorporate the δ 34 S freshwater signal and a higher δ 15 N value. Therefore, by not including agricultural amendment strategies this may lead to an inaccurate reconstruction of human palaeodiet using fruits 92 . Potentially, there are other studies that will require reconsideration when including the impact of crop biofertilisation.…”

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)

“…(e.g. Drucker et al, 2018;Goude et al, 2018;Jovanović et al, 2019). While bone biogeochemical composition provides general information covering the time of its formation and renewal (last years of life, depending on age and physiology; e.g.…”