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Combined Visual and Biochemical Analyses Confirm Depositor and Diet for Neolithic Coprolites from Skara Brae

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Combined Visual and Biochemical Analyses Confirm Depositor and Diet for Neolithic Coprolites from Skara Brae Edinburgh Research Explorer Combined visual and biochemical analyses confirm depositor and diet for Neolithic coprolites from Skara Brae Citation for published version: Romaniuk, A, Panciroli, E, Buckley, M, Chowdhury, MP, Willars, C, Herman, JS, Troalen, L, Shepherd, AN, Clarke, DV, Sheridan, A, van Dongen, BE, Butler, I & Bendrey, R 2020, 'Combined visual and biochemical analyses confirm depositor and diet for Neolithic coprolites from Skara Brae', Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, vol. 12, no. 2, 274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01225-9 Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.1007/s12520-020-01225-9 Link: Link to publication record in Edinburgh Research Explorer Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Published In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences General rights Copyright for the publications made accessible via the Edinburgh Research Explorer is retained by the author(s) and / or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing these publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy The University of Edinburgh has made every reasonable effort to ensure that Edinburgh Research Explorer content complies with UK legislation. If you believe that the public display of this file breaches copyright please contact [email protected] providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 10. Oct. 2021 Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2020) 12:274 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01225-9 ORIGINAL PAPER Combined visual and biochemical analyses confirm depositor and diet for Neolithic coprolites from Skara Brae Andrzej A. Romaniuk1,2 & Elsa Panciroli2,3,4 & Michael Buckley5 & Manasij Pal Chowdhury5 & Carla Willars6 & Jeremy S. Herman2 & Lore G. Troalen7 & Alexandra N. Shepherd8 & David V. Clarke9 & Alison Sheridan9 & Bart E. van Dongen5 & Ian B. Butler3 & Robin Bendrey1 Received: 7 May 2020 /Accepted: 11 October 2020 # The Author(s) 2020 Abstract Coprolites (fossilized faeces) can provide valuable insights into species’ diet and related habits. In archaeozoological contexts, they are a potential source of information on human-animal interactions as well as human and animal subsistence. However, despite a broad discussion on coprolites in archaeology, such finds are rarely subject to detailed examination by researchers, perhaps due to the destructive nature of traditional analytical methods. Here, we have examined coprolitic remains from the Neolithic (third millennium BCE) settlement at Skara Brae, Orkney, using a range of modern methods: X-ray computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, lipid and protein analysis (shotgun proteomics of the coprolite matrix as well as collagen peptide mass fingerprinting of isolated bone fragments). This combined approach minimised destructiveness of sampling, leaving sufficient material for subse- quent study, while providing more information than traditional morphological examination alone. Based on gross visual examination, coprolites were predominantly attributed to domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), with morphologi- cally identified bone inclusions derived from domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and common voles (Microtus arvalis). Partial dissection of a coprolite provided bone samples containing protein markers akin to those of domestic sheep. Considering the predominance of vertebral and distal limb bone fragments, Skara Brae dogs were probably consum- ing human butchery or meal refuse, either routinely fed to them or scavenged. The presumably opportunistic consumptionofrodentsmayalsohave played a role in pest control. Keywords Neolithic . Coprolite . Diet . X-ray computed tomography . Mass spectrometry . Scanning electron microscopy Supplementary Information The online version of this article (https:// doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01225-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Andrzej A. Romaniuk 5 School of Natural Sciences, University of Manchester, [email protected] Manchester M1 7DN, UK 6 School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 1 School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK 7 2 Department of Collections Services, National Museums Scotland, Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK 8 3 School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 Skara Brae Publication Project, 509 King Street, Aberdeen AB24 3FE, UK 3BT, UK 4 Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, 9 Department of Scottish History and Archaeology, National Museums Oxford OX1 3PW, UK Scotland, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK 274 Page 2 of 15 Archaeol Anthropol Sci (2020) 12:274 Introduction alongside many heavily fragmented finds, were retrieved from the settlement core (Trench I). The settlement periphery A serious concern when using finite remains to study the past (Trench II) and off-site Trench III provided only a few finds, is the destructive nature of many widely adopted methods. It is in each case confined to a single context. Assuming domestic an especially serious concern in the case of archaeological dogs, Canis familiaris, as likely depositors, a parasitological remains, which are at best a finite resource and often unique study by Hopkins (Hopkins J pers. comm.)examined58sam- (Maschner and Chippindale 2005; Renfrew and Bahn 2012; ples in search of transmission stages of parasites. While the Frank et al. 2015). Coprolites are a prime example of this parasitological results were negative, “rehydration” of the problem. Beyond examination of their external appearance coprolites revealed that most contained large numbers of bone and the identification of visible parts of inclusions, the pre- fragments. Alongside the general absence of plant material dominant method used to analyse coprolites involves dissec- other than microscopic pollen (Clarke DV and Shepherd AN tion, usually after dissolving (“rehydrating”) the coprolite ma- pers. comm.), this supports the interpretation that they were trix in a specific solution (Callen 1963), or dry-pulverizing its deposited by dogs. However, among rehydrated material, contents (Heizer 1963), in order to isolate and visually identify eleven samples showed solution colours more similar to ones any inclusions. However, such approaches narrow the retriev- obtainable from human coprolites, raising the question of able data strictly to the inclusions and preclude further exam- whether humans were also responsible for the creation of ination, for example of the internal arrangement of the copro- SkaraBraecoproliticmaterial. lite content or its chemical composition. Moreover, it pre- The study herein was designed to provide the maximum cludes the further assessment of those finds in the future with data from a series of the available finds, while limiting direct other methods. On archaeological sites where coprolitic finds physical impact, to enable their re-examination in the future. are relatively common, this problem can be mitigated, for The objectives were to identify depositor species and provide example by utilising subsampling and leaving some coprolites data about the depositors’ diet. In contrast to other studies, or parts of them for future research. However, many sites which generally rely on a single approach, four distinct provide only a sparse number of coprolites, often as singular methods were employed: (1) traditional visual examination; finds, and the potential loss of information is too important for (2) scanning electron microscopy (SEM); (3) high-resolution a dissection method to be applied. X-ray micro computed tomography (μCT); (4) lipid and pro- Because of these drawbacks, in recent decades, there has tein analysis via mass spectrometry. Only the last of these been a surge in publications exploring potential non- methods required any invasive and destructive measures, in destructive approaches towards archaeological material (e.g. the form of partial coprolite dissection and drilling of several Biró 2005; Borgwardt and Wells 2017). In the case of copro- coprolite specimens to obtain samples for analysis. lites, X-ray computed tomography (μCT) scanning has been The study is a part of a bigger research effort of multiple utilised for the past two decades to avoid destructive analysis, research groups from different research institutions to provide facilitate replicability and create raw data for future research. a comprehensive overview of the Skara Brae site and life of its Initially used only to generate 2-dimensional cross-sectional inhabitants during the Orcadian Neolithic period (Clarke and data (e.g. Farlow et al. 2010), it has more recently been com- Shepherd in prep). bined with 3-dimensional (3D) digital imaging techniques for more comprehensive analysis of content and structure (Milàn et al. 2012a, b; Bravo-Cuevas et al. 2017;Wangetal.2018). Materials and methods This has permitted identification of the coprolite depositor as well as its prey and other food items. Meanwhile, in destruc- As the Skara Brae assemblages contained predominantly tive sampling, one can see a trend towards standardisation of heavily fragmented coprolites, only contexts containing intact sampling protocols and reduction of sample numbers, which finds or fragments with identifiable inclusions visible on the is important to allow replication and therefore reproducibility, surface were
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