No compelling evidence for early small-scale animal husbandry in Atlantic NW Europe

Brusgaard, Nathalie; Çakırlar, Canan; Dee, Michael W.; Dreshaj, Merita; Erven, Jolijn; Peeters, Hans; Raemaekers, D.C.M.

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-05073-6

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…During this time frame, the presence of sheep and goat, also in low numbers, has been noted at another Swifterbant site in Scheldt valley, Bazel ‘‘Sluis” [ 60 ]. There, the radiocarbon-dated younger cluster of sheep/goat appears to be in excellent agreement with De Bruin 3 and, interestingly, the older cluster (approximately 4700–4500 BCE) overlaps with a sizeable hiatus observed at De Bruin [ Fig 2 , 37 , 60 ]. Similar to the Hardinxveld sites, there appears to be smaller-sized Bos at Bazel “Sluis” but no conclusive evidence has been brought forward of their domesticated status or dietary management [ 37 ].…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 62%

“…Similar to the Hardinxveld sites, there appears to be smaller-sized Bos at Bazel “Sluis” but no conclusive evidence has been brought forward of their domesticated status or dietary management [ 37 ]. In fact, the dominance of small-sized metapodial bones at Bazel ‘‘Sluis”, commonly used as tools, further indicates the possibility that the presence of domesticated animals at this time, within Swifterbant culture, was a product of exchange with farming communities, and likely predating animal husbandry [ 37 ]. This might have been a regional pattern.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An exception was made for the first two phases at Polderweg (Polderweg 0 and 1) because, according to the excavation reports, these phases are considered to follow each other and are even merged in stratigraphic interpretations in the excavation report [ 20 , 21 ]. Phase 0 is, in essence, a single archaeological layer [ 37 ] deposited below the colluvium and ‘initial’ layers of phase 1 (see Fig 3 ). Hence, we placed only one Boundary between Polderweg 0 and 1 in the main model.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent zooarchaeological and stable isotope study on these sites ruled out dietary and population management of Sus and Bos species that would reflect animal husbandry. Indeed, it was proposed that the absence of neonates and young piglets in this phase may suggest that these small-sized remains were not husbanded but were the product of exchange with farmers, a pattern documented in similar contexts elsewhere, and which also precedes animal husbandry [ 15 , 36 , 37 ]. In this context, wild species remain dominant subsistence strategy, with a special emphasis on hunting beavers, which increases towards the last occupation phases [ 18 , 28 ].…”

Section: Site Context and Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High-resolution Bayesian chronology of the earliest evidence of domesticated animals in the Dutch wetlands (Hardinxveld-Giessendam archaeological sites)

Dreshaj

Dee²,

Brusgaard

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

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The archaeological sites of Hardinxveld-Giessendam de Bruin and Polderweg, situated in the Rhine-Meuse delta, are the best-preserved Mesolithic sites in the Netherlands. Due to the early appearance of domesticated animals in their faunal assemblage, they are also integral to the research of the emergence of animal husbandry in the region. This study focuses on the precise chronology of the sites, using radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modelling of both newly acquired and legacy radiocarbon dates. To mitigate the risk of erroneous dates, we dated the bone collagen of 26 herbivorous and one aquatic mammals from clear archaeological contexts and discovered that the most recent occupational phases at both sites are several centuries younger than previously thought. This is consistent with material evidence of lifestyle changes in the final phase at Hardinxveld-Giessendam de Bruin, which is now, according to our chronology, contemporaneous with the similar patterns produced in the region.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Site Context and Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

High-resolution Bayesian chronology of the earliest evidence of domesticated animals in the Dutch wetlands (Hardinxveld-Giessendam archaeological sites)

Dreshaj

Dee²,

Brusgaard

et al. 2023

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

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“…

We would like to thank Brusgaard et al 1 for their critical reading of our paper 2 and keeping the debate on the neolithization process of the NW European lowlands ongoing. Before addressing the comments raised by the authors, we would like to emphasize that our paper was mainly intended to present and discuss new evidence demonstrating the presence of domesticated animals well before 4300/4000 cal BC in light of the long-term debate on the pace and timing of the neolithization of the lowlands beyond the agro-pastoral frontier.

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confidence: 99%

Reply to: No compelling evidence for early small-scale animal husbandry in Atlantic NW Europe

Crombé

Aluwé

Boudin

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Pottery use across the Neolithic transition in northern Belgium: evidence from isotopic, molecular and microscopic analysis

Teetaert,

Vannoorenberghe,

Van de Velde

et al. 2024

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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This study represents the first extensive residue analysis of prehistoric pottery from northern Belgium. It examines pottery use and culinary practices across the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition, from the late 6th to the early 4th millennium cal BC. Residue analyses were performed on more than 200 samples from nine archaeological sites, representing different cultural groups from this transitional phase. This includes the analysis of charred food residues encrusted on the vessel surfaces by elemental analysis-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), stereomicroscopic analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), as well as the analysis of absorbed lipids by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). This study provides the first evidence of ruminant dairy fats in Early Neolithic Limburg pottery, supporting the hypothesis that this pottery was produced and used by LBK farmers rather than hunter-gatherer populations. The first indigenous pottery of the Swifterbant culture was frequently used to process freshwater fish (often together with plant foods) and ruminant meat, although several of the studied vessels likely contained mixtures of resources which could also include porcine products. Ruminant dairy is nearly absent from this pottery. Similar results were obtained for pottery of the subsequent Michelsberg culture/Group of Spiere of the late 5th and early 4th millennium cal BC. The limited presence of ruminant dairy fats in this pottery contrasts with the findings for Middle Neolithic pottery from neighbouring regions, providing further evidence for the existence of regional variations in pottery use or culinary practices throughout prehistoric NW Europe. However, our current view of pottery use during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in northern Belgium might be biased by the difficulties in distinguishing between wild and domesticated ruminant adipose fats as well as in detecting plant foods through lipid residue analysis.

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No compelling evidence for early small-scale animal husbandry in Atlantic NW Europe

Cited by 7 publications

References 10 publications

High-resolution Bayesian chronology of the earliest evidence of domesticated animals in the Dutch wetlands (Hardinxveld-Giessendam archaeological sites)

High-resolution Bayesian chronology of the earliest evidence of domesticated animals in the Dutch wetlands (Hardinxveld-Giessendam archaeological sites)

Reply to: No compelling evidence for early small-scale animal husbandry in Atlantic NW Europe

Pottery use across the Neolithic transition in northern Belgium: evidence from isotopic, molecular and microscopic analysis

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