1. |
- Allentoft, M. E., et al.
(author)
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Population genomics of Bronze Age Eurasia
- 2015
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 522:7555
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Bronze Age of Eurasia (around 3000-1000 BC) was a period of major cultural changes. However, there is debate about whether these changes resulted from the circulation of ideas or from human migrations, potentially also facilitating the spread of languages and certain phenotypic traits. We investigated this by using new, improved methods to sequence low-coverage genomes from 101 ancient humans from across Eurasia. We show that the Bronze Age was a highly dynamic period involving large-scale population migrations and replacements, responsible for shaping major parts of present-day demographic structure in both Europe and Asia. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesized spread of Indo-European languages during the Early Bronze Age. We also demonstrate that light skin pigmentation in Europeans was already present at high frequency in the Bronze Age, but not lactose tolerance, indicating a more recent onset of positive selection on lactose tolerance than previously thought.
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2. |
- Drtikolová Kaupová, Sylva, et al.
(author)
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The diet of settled Neolithic farmers of east-central Europe : isotopic and dental microwear evidence
- 2023
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In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1866-9557 .- 1866-9565. ; 15:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study reconstructs Middle and Late Neolithic dietary practices in the area of the today Czech Republic and Lower Austria with a help of complementary evidence of stable isotope and dental microwear analysis. From a total of 171 humans, carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were measured in bone collagen of 146 individuals (accompanied by 64 animals) while 113 individuals were included into buccal dental microwear analysis. The samples were divided into two newly established chronological phases: Neolithic B (4900–4000 BC) and Neolithic C (3800–3400 BC) based on radiocarbon data modelling. Isotopic results show that the Neolithic diet was of terrestrial origin with a dominant plant component. A small but statistically significant shift in human carbon isotopic values to a higher δ13C was observed during the Neolithic C, probably reflecting an underlying change in plant growing conditions. Dental microwear results suggest a shift in adult diet and/or food preparation techniques between the Neolithic B and C, which, however, was not reflected in either the carbon or nitrogen isotopic values. The positive correlations between nitrogen isotopic values and the dental microwear variables (NV, XV, XT and NV/NT) observed in the adult sample suggest that meat rather than milk was the dominant source of animal protein, or that food enriched in 15N was processed specifically. Also, as both methods offer a snapshot of different periods of an individual’s life, the presence of a significant correlation may imply highly repetitive dietary behaviour during their lifetime.
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3. |
- Oleszczak, L., et al.
(author)
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The food culture of the Iron Age nomadic elite from the 'Valley of the Kings' in Tuva : radiocarbon dating, stable carbon and nitrogen analysis of the Chinge Tey barrows (Turan-Uyuk Basin, Russia)
- 2023
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In: Journal of Archaeological Science. - 2352-409X .- 2352-4103. ; 51
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Subsistence strategies of Eurasian pastoral populations have been broadly studied in the archaeological literature. The 'Valley of the Kings' in Tuva, Russia, has captivated archaeologists with its remarkable collection of large burial mounds, containing lavishly equipped tombs of nomadic kings, warlords, and aristocracy. These barrows bear witness to the ancestral connections between the deceased leaders, highlighting the alliances among prehistoric nomads in Central Asia. In this research, we present comprehensive radiocarbon dating and 813C/815N isotopic data from the Chinge Tey barrows, which represent the burial sites of 12 high-ranking individuals. The chronological alignment of both Chinge Tey monuments with the Arzhan 1 and Arzhan 2 reference frames sheds light on their historical context. This study delves into intricate aspects of ecological adaptability, pastoral food practices, social hierarchies, and nomadic mortuary rituals. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes indicates potential connections between the barrows in the 'Valley of the Kings' and diverse nomadic cultures, suggesting that dietary habits among neighboring populations may have exhibited significant variation.
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4. |
- Pokutta, Dalia Anna, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Children, Childhood and Food : The Diets of Subadults in the Unetice Culture of Southwestern Poland
- 2015
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In: Forging Identities: the mobility of culture in Bronze Age Europe. - Oxford : British Archaeological Reports. - 9781407314334 ; , s. 245-252
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dietary habits are a means by which social identity is expressed and negotiated and the foods consumed by children reflect both the social status of being a child and membership within other social groups that would eventually come to shape adult identity. Study of the diets of children in prehistory can, thus, provide information about the construction of childhood in the past and also about the perpetuation and negotiation of social structures. In this study, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was used to investigate the diets of subadults in the Únětice Culture of southwestern Poland. The results show that diets differed quite substantially between individuals, however diet changed very little during the lifetimes of each individual. This indicates that an individual’s social position was ascribed early in life and remained constant thereafter.
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5. |
- Pokutta, Dalia Anna, 1979
(author)
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Isotopic study of Szczepankowice Early Bronze Age barrow burial ground (southwestern Poland) : Analizy izotopowe wczesnobrazowej nekropoli unietyckiej w Szepankowicach
- 2011
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In: Silsia Antiqua. - 0080-9594. ; 47:1, s. 70-91
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the current stage of an ongoing research project regarding isotopic analyses of Únětice culture in Silesia District (southwest Poland). The main core of our undertaking has been divided into several parts, targeting different aspects of diet, migratory patterns and archaeological cultural diversity. These components may be observed on macro- and micro-regional scales in the South West of Poland under the Early Bronze Age period. This study provides a new model of contextual interpretation of barrow burial ground in classic phase of Únětice culture in Central Europe. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 212402. Publication of the Szczepankowice barrows case study sums up the first level of investigation. It has been designed to combine varied elements: archaeological diagnostic, paleopathology, isotopic analyses (local strontium baseline level plus migration case study) and finally radiocarbon dating, which enables us to place the whole structure within a chronological framework. Testing multi-functional tools was one aspect of the investigation, but in general this initial stage has been dedicated to ‘people of the barrows’, the upper class of the Early Bronze Age community.
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6. |
- Pokutta, Dalia Anna, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Isotopic study of Szczepankowice Early Bronze Age barrow burial ground (southwestern Poland)
- 2011
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In: Silesia Antiqua. - 0080-9594. ; 47, s. 70-91
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the current stage of an ongoing research project regarding isotopic analyses of the Unetice culture in Silesia District (SW Poland). This study provides a new model of contextual interpretation of barrow burial ground in classic phase of the Unetice culture (1900-1750 BC) in Central Europe. It combines several elements: archaeological landscape study of Szczepankowice necropoly, paleopathological and isotopic analyses of skeletons from barrows (first local strontium baseline for Silesia, and mobility case study) and finally radiocarbon dating.
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7. |
- Pokutta, Dalia Anna, 1979
(author)
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Population Dynamics, Diet and Migrations of the Únetice Culture in Poland
- 2013
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Únětice kulturens roll när det kommer till formandet av bronsåldern i Europa kan inte överskattas. Uppkomsten och existensen av denna originella, utvidgande och dynamiska population markerar en av de mest intressanta tidpunkterna i europeisk förhistoria, tidpunkten då en era avslutas och en ny tar vid. Avhandlingen är den monografi som behandlar Úněticekulturen i Polen, med särskilt fokus på områdena i nedre Silesia (SV Polen), med hjälp av bioarkeologiska och paleodemografiska metoder. Studien presenterar Úněticekulturen ur ett demografiskat perspektivoch baseras på resultaten av isotopiska analyser av mänskliga ben som daterats till tidig bronsålder (2200-1600 f kr). Avhandlingen består av åtta kapitel som behandlar alla Úněticekulturens problemområden i Polen och Centraleuropa ur ett arkeologiskt perspektiv: begravningsritualer, gravfält, distribution, kvalitet och kvantitet av skelettdelar från människa. Det presenteras ett flertal fyndplatser i Silesiaregionen både geografiskt och kronologiskt samt en ingående metodbeskrivning av isotopanalyser med specifikt fokus på kol-, kväve- och strontiumisotoper. Andra kapitel fokuserar på den tidiga bronsålderns livsstil, medicinska kunnande, sjukdomar, sysselsättningar och utvalda undergrupper i det förhistoriska Silesiska samhället såsom adel, barn och gamla. Studien ger information om diet och dietens innehåll, förflyttningar, mänsklig migration och territoriell rörelse i det förhistoriska Centraleuropa, liksom hur dessa har inverkat på det Úněticeiska samhället gällande den metallurgiska utvecklingen och handel samt typer av styrande och den kollektiva identiteten.
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9. |
- Tóth, Peter, et al.
(author)
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Radiocarbin dating of grass-tempered ceramic reveals the earliest pottery from Slovakia predates the arrival of farming
- 2023
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In: Radiocarbon. - 0033-8222 .- 1945-5755. ; 65:3, s. 733-753
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the absence of wood, bone, and other organics, one possible candidate for determining the age of a site is the radiocarbon (14C) dating of pottery. In central Europe during the Early Neolithic, pottery was ubiquitous and contained substantial quantities of organic temper. However, attempts at the direct dating of organic inclusions raises a lot of methodological issues, especially when several sources of carbon contribute to the resulting radiocarbon age. Hence an alternative approach to dating of the early pottery is necessary. Here, we present a novel method of bulk separation of organic content from the grass-tempered pottery from Santovka (Slovakia). The procedure is based on the consecutive application of three inorganic acids, dissolving clay, silica content, and low molecular or mobile fractions to separate organic inclusions added to the pottery matrix during the formation of vessels. Radiocarbon dates obtained with this method are coherent and produce the shortest time span compared to other pretreatment methods presented in this study. The paired dates of grass-tempered pots with the 14C age of lipids extracted from the same pots point to a difference of 400–600 14C yr, however they are in line with the site’s chronostratigraphic Bayesian model. Grass-tempered pottery from Santovka (Slovakia) is dated to the first half of the 6th millennium cal BC, making it the earliest pottery north of the Danube. It seems feasible that ceramic containers from Santovka were produced by hunter-gatherers, and pottery predated the arrival of farming in the Carpathian region by a couple of centuries.
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