Neither fish nor fowl. Isotopic evidence of a plant-based diet in (captive?) brown bears from Roman Augusta Raurica, Switzerland

Gerling, Claudia

doi:10.5252/anthropozoologica2023v58a5

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…2 ) indicative of an omnivorous diet 56 , 67 – 72 . The difference in δ 13 C and δ 15 N between dogs and herbivores from Augusta Raurica 73 accounts for almost one trophic level 74 indicating also substantial animal protein intake. δ 15 N variation was limited to 2.4‰, and δ 13 C showed a range of 2.5‰.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The substantial difference in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values between herbivores from Augusta Raurica, i.e. horses 73 suggests that the proportion of animal proteins in the dogs’ diet should not be underestimated. The low isotopic variability may support the hypothesis that size, age or function, may have only moderately impacted stable isotope compositions at Augusta Raurica.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A melting pot of Roman dogs north of the Alps with high phenotypic and genetic diversity and similar diets

Granado,

Susat,

Gerling

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Several dog skeletons were excavated at the Roman town of Augusta Raurica and at the military camp of Vindonissa, located in the northern Alpine region of Switzerland (Germania Superior). The relationships between them and the people, the nature of their lives, and the circumstances of their deaths are unclear. In order to gain insight into this dog population, we collected 31 dogs deposited almost simultaneously in two wells (second half of the third century CE), three dogs from burial contexts (70–200 CE and third to fifth century CE) at Augusta Raurica, and two dogs from burial contexts at Vindonissa (ca. first century CE). We detected a mixed population of young and adult dogs including small, medium and large sized individuals. Three small dogs had conspicuous phenotypes: abnormally short legs, and one with a brachycephalic skull. Stable isotope analysis of a subset of the dogs showed that their diets were omnivorous with a substantial input of animal proteins and little variation, except one with a particularly low δ15N value, indicating a diet low in animal proteins. Partial mitochondrial DNA sequences from 25 dogs revealed eight haplotypes within canine haplogroup A (11 dogs; 44%; 5 haplotypes), C (8 dogs; 32%; 1 haplotype), D (4 dogs, 16%; 1 haplotype) and B (2 dogs, 8%; 1 haplotype). Based on shotgun sequencing, four Roman mitogenomes were assembled, representing sub-haplogroups A1b3, A1b2 and C2. No canine pathogens were identified, weakening the assumption of infectious disease as a cause for dog disposal. The genetic and morphological diversity observed in dogs of Augusta Raurica and Vindonissa is similar to modern dog diversity.

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