Carbon, Nitrogen and Strontium Isotopes in the Set of Skeletons from the Neolithic Settlement at Vedrovice (Czech Republic)
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Carbon, Nitrogen and Strontium Isotopes in the Set of Skeletons from the Neolithic Settlement at Vedrovice (Czech Republic) • XLIII/2–3 • pp. 315–323 • 2005 VÁCLAV SMRČKA, FRANTIŠEK BŮZEK, VOJTĚCH ERBAN, TOMÁŠ BERKOVEC, MARTA DOČKALOVÁ, KATEŘINA NEUMANOVÁ, MIRIAM NÝVLTOVÁ FIŠÁKOVÁ CARBON, NITROGEN AND STRONTIUM ISOTOPES IN THE SET OF SKELETONS FROM THE NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT AT VEDROVICE (CZECH REPUBLIC) ABSTRACT: Isotopes C, N, Sr were employed in the study of eleven skeletons from the Neolithic settlements of the Linear Pottery Culture at Vedrovice. Samples of ribs were used for the analysis of 13C, 12C and 15N, 14N from organic part of the bone collagen. The scope of stable isotopes in the bone collagen is + 8.8 to 12‰ for δ15N and between –20.5 and –21.9 ‰ for δ13C in the skeletons. This indicates a population dependent on the inland plants of the type C3 of the photosynthetic cycle (wheat). The ratio of the isotopes of strontium 87Sr and 86Sr from the tooth tissue M1 and from compact bone of the middle part of the femur was used for distinction of the migrants. In the settlement at Vedrovice children in the grave 3/1966 (6–7 years) and in grave 4/1969 (child 7–8 years) most probably were from non-local population. Individuals from grave 5/1971 (child 5–6 years) and male in grave 10/1974 (40–50 years) may have moved more than once. KEY WORDS: Diet – Migration – Bone – Teeth – Geochemistry – Neolithic INTRODUCTION Isotopes C, N, Sr were employed in the study of the skeletons from the Neolithic settlement at Vedrovice in 2003 A newly introduced field of archaeological research (grant No. 404/03/0741 coordinated by Dr. Alena Humpolová) employing isotopes has been constituted within the with the aim to reconstruct the diet and migration from the archaeological reconstruction (Pollard 1998). It is based collagen of the organic component of the bone. Collagen on isotope geology (Faure 1986). contains both the amino acids produced in the body and the The following isotopes can be employed in archaeology: essential acids obtained from food, based mainly on meat 1. Isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium, carbon and oxygen in consumption. Consequently it is the most suitable organic bone paleontology and paleoclimatology; material showing up the diet of the subjects under research. 2. Isotopes of carbon and nitrogen for interpretation of diet Between 1961 and 1974, V. Ondruš investigated in total from the human bone collagen, bone mineral and tooth 11 graves within the settlement of Linear Pottery Culture in enamel (Richards et al. 2003, Tauber 1981); the tract of land "Široká u lesa" (Ondruš 1961–1974). From 3. Isotopes of strontium for reconstruction of the migration the time point of view they all can be classified into phase of people and animals from the bone material and tooth IIa according to R. Tichý (1962) for the Linear Pottery enamel (Price et al. 2004); Culture (in German: Linienbandkeramische Kultur). The 4. Isotopes of lead for finding out the sources of civilisation acronym LBK, used by Whittle (1996:146) and Gronenborn influences (Smrčka 2005). (1999: 124), follows the Central European tradition. 315 316 TABLE 1. Václav Smrčka, František Bůzek, Vojtěch Erban, Tomáš Berkovec, Marta Dočkalová, Kateřina Neumanová, Miriam Nývltová Fišáková MiriamNývltová KateřinaNeumanová, MartaDočkalová, Berkovec, Tomáš Erban, Vojtěch Bůzek, František Smrčka, Václav Orientation Grave No. Grave Dimensions Sex and Orientation of the Position Position View Position of extremities Situation Grave goods/ /year of character (in m) age of grave pit individual of the of skull of the find earth filling research individual Head Feet Upper Lower depression of irregular oval shape in NE situated in part of structure fragments of 2 parallel, bent 25A, dimensions ceramic bowls with in dwelling child 6–8 at sharp angle, 1/1963 – – SW NE left side left temple SSW – 2.00×1.70×0.75 m, retracted rim over the structure months femurs forming oriented NW–SE; chest and behind the right angle with the individual feet / – body axis situated in E part, 0.10 m above bottom only one bone awl behind the left temple, sunk into extremity back of the skull / unnaturally loess sharp bend documented, from the stratum bent loosely laid among substratum child in the elbow, bent at sharp under the individual, 2/1963 – – NW SE left side backwards E objects in cultural by 0.25 m, 5–6 years palms in front angle, femur Ondruš mentions – rear of the layer grave pit not of the face forming right 11 pcs of pottery, 2 skull touching found angle with fragments of animal the spine body axis bones, 4 pcs of loam left extremity sharply bent, knee joint level of sharp bend situated in front loess right temple, in the elbow, child of the chest, loosely laid among – / 2 pcs of products 3/1966 substratum, – E–W W E left side bent to the E palms in front 6–7 years right extremity objects of flaking grave pit not breast of the face bent to the found extreme and at right angle to body axis right one bent to the extreme in the elbow, situated in its palm parallel, in superposition situated under maximally with the mandible, drawn each to construction child rear side of 4/1969 grave pit 0.70×0.35×0.50 NW–SE NW SE right side upward left one the other, knee pit and groove – / – 7–8 years skull considerably joints in front belonging to bent in the of the chest, building complex elbow, with feet at the D3 the palm pelvis under right elbow TABLE 1. (continued). Republic) (Czech Vedrovice theNeolithicSettlementat from IsotopesintheSetofSkeletons andStrontium Carbon, Nitrogen Orientation Grave No. Grave Dimensions Sex and Orientation of the Position Position View Position of extremities Situation Grave goods/ /year of character (in m) age of grave pit individual of the of skull of the find earth filling research individual Head Feet Upper Lower skull placed on a fragment of trituration stone of triangular shape; at E rim of the pit only left at W rim of S part ca 0.15 m from the right temple, ulna and crouched in of structure O89, scapula and 0.03 m upper part unnaturally finger bones; parallel at sharp ashy layer, small above the bottom a little hole in of the body bent possibility child 5–6 angle, femoral hole of regular chip of hornstone; 5/1971 construction 0.70×0.50×? N–S NW SE prone, lower backwards NW of crouching years bones forming oval groundplan in the W part in pit extremities – rear of the below the right angle with and concave front of the humerus on right side skull touching chest with body axis profile dug into the transversally placed the spine palms under bottom bottle-like vessel with mandible 3 protrusions on the maximum chamber and little boulder / 12 pcs of products of flaking – / in the left temple, surroundings of the level of unnaturally strong besides the skull grave – 3 pcs of loess bent crouching, only fragments of child 3–4 quarry stones, red- 6/1972 substratum, – – NE SW left side backwards E–knee joints in chest, pelvis and years deer antler, animal grave pit not – rear of the front of the lower extremities bones and 6 pcs of found skull touching chest preserved products of flaking, the spine pottery, 5 pcs of loam hole of regular oval situated in shape, W from the parallel, grave accumulation maximally of quarry stones – / 2 pcs of products drawn each to and medium of flaking, pottery, 7/1972 grave pit – neonate E–W E W left side left temple N – the other, knee sized fragments 1 pc of loam, 1 pc joints in front of triturating of trituration stone, of the chest, stones, arranged animal bones feet at the to form regular pelvis oval groundplan, orientation E–W 317 318 TABLE 1. (continued). Václav Smrčka, František Bůzek, Vojtěch Erban, Tomáš Berkovec, Marta Dočkalová, Kateřina Neumanová, Miriam Nývltová Fišáková MiriamNývltová KateřinaNeumanová, MartaDočkalová, Berkovec, Tomáš Erban, Vojtěch Bůzek, František Smrčka, Václav Orientation Grave No. Grave Dimensions Sex and Orientation of the Position Position View Position of extremities Situation Grave goods/ /year of character (in m) age of grave pit individual of the of skull of the find earth filling research individual Head Feet Upper Lower remains of a baby not found until laboratory 8/1974 ? – neonate – – – – – – – – processing, only – / – the position O 120 is known – sector 21/1974 left arm along situated in in an unevenness the body, right parallel, turned of the terrain –/4 pcs of products one under left from body that came into not standard female of flaking, pottery, 9/1974 – – W R prone right temple S the body axis, knees existence at position 50–60 years animal bones, 1 pc with elbow slightly bent, covering the of loam touching other crossed above structure with elbow the ankles sediments left humerus along the body, forming “semi- right angle crouched” with forearm, position; palm in front hoof-shaped wedge right temple, left femur pit situated in of mandible, in the area of chest unnaturally perpendicular S part of structure thumb and / 2 pcs of products bent to the body O122, flat bottom index in of flaking, pottery, male backwards axis; right by 0.30 m below 10/1974 grave pit 1.20×0.65×? E–W E W right side NE stretched animal bones, pottery 40–50 years – rear of the knee joint in level of irregular position, fragment under skull touching NW corner of concave profile other fingers mandible, lump of the spine grave pit, tibia of the dwelling crouched; graphite under the crossed with structure right hand skull left tibia; right stretched foot covering along the the left one body, the palm touches left knee joint TABLE 1.