It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark

Rikke Maring; Jesper Olsen; Søren Henning Andersen; Marcello Mannino

doi:10.1111/arcm.12950

It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark

Rikke Maring^*, Jesper Olsen, Søren Henning Andersen, Marcello Mannino

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

This paper examines newly acquired and previously published carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from 58 dogs (Canis familiaris) dated to the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Using the Bayesian mixing model FRUITS, we estimate the marine or freshwater dietary fractions. These estimates, together with a radiocarbon-based Bayesian statistical model, have allowed us to calculate the freshwater reservoir age for selected Danish regions. The Ertebølle and Funnel Beaker cultures display different feeding traditions, and stable isotope values of dogs cannot be used as a direct proxy for reconstructing human diet, as the foodstuffs appear to have been subject to some deliberate differentiation.

Original language	English
Journal	Archaeometry
Volume	66
Issue	4
Pages (from-to)	911-930
Number of pages	20
ISSN	0003-813X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12950
Publication status	Published - Aug 2024

Keywords

Bayesian modelling
Denmark
Mesolithic–Neolithic transition
Stone Age
dietary reconstruction
dogs
freshwater reservoir age
marine reservoir age
radiocarbon
stable isotopes

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10.1111/arcm.12950

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@article{dbeb7ee7d702413c8310c8b43b35138d,

title = "It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark",

abstract = "This paper examines newly acquired and previously published carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from 58 dogs (Canis familiaris) dated to the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Using the Bayesian mixing model FRUITS, we estimate the marine or freshwater dietary fractions. These estimates, together with a radiocarbon-based Bayesian statistical model, have allowed us to calculate the freshwater reservoir age for selected Danish regions. The Erteb{\o}lle and Funnel Beaker cultures display different feeding traditions, and stable isotope values of dogs cannot be used as a direct proxy for reconstructing human diet, as the foodstuffs appear to have been subject to some deliberate differentiation.",

keywords = "Bayesian modelling, Denmark, Mesolithic–Neolithic transition, Stone Age, dietary reconstruction, dogs, freshwater reservoir age, marine reservoir age, radiocarbon, stable isotopes",

author = "Rikke Maring and Jesper Olsen and Andersen, {S{\o}ren Henning} and Marcello Mannino",

year = "2024",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1111/arcm.12950",

language = "English",

volume = "66",

pages = "911--930",

journal = "Archaeometry",

issn = "0003-813X",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "4",

}

It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark. / Maring, Rikke; Olsen, Jesper; Andersen, Søren Henning et al.
In: Archaeometry, Vol. 66, No. 4, 08.2024, p. 911-930.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark

AU - Maring, Rikke

AU - Olsen, Jesper

AU - Andersen, Søren Henning

AU - Mannino, Marcello

PY - 2024/8

Y1 - 2024/8

N2 - This paper examines newly acquired and previously published carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from 58 dogs (Canis familiaris) dated to the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Using the Bayesian mixing model FRUITS, we estimate the marine or freshwater dietary fractions. These estimates, together with a radiocarbon-based Bayesian statistical model, have allowed us to calculate the freshwater reservoir age for selected Danish regions. The Ertebølle and Funnel Beaker cultures display different feeding traditions, and stable isotope values of dogs cannot be used as a direct proxy for reconstructing human diet, as the foodstuffs appear to have been subject to some deliberate differentiation.

AB - This paper examines newly acquired and previously published carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from 58 dogs (Canis familiaris) dated to the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Using the Bayesian mixing model FRUITS, we estimate the marine or freshwater dietary fractions. These estimates, together with a radiocarbon-based Bayesian statistical model, have allowed us to calculate the freshwater reservoir age for selected Danish regions. The Ertebølle and Funnel Beaker cultures display different feeding traditions, and stable isotope values of dogs cannot be used as a direct proxy for reconstructing human diet, as the foodstuffs appear to have been subject to some deliberate differentiation.

KW - Bayesian modelling

KW - Denmark

KW - Mesolithic–Neolithic transition

KW - Stone Age

KW - dietary reconstruction

KW - dogs

KW - freshwater reservoir age

KW - marine reservoir age

KW - radiocarbon

KW - stable isotopes

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U2 - 10.1111/arcm.12950

DO - 10.1111/arcm.12950

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0003-813X

VL - 66

SP - 911

EP - 930

JO - Archaeometry

JF - Archaeometry

IS - 4

ER -

It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark

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Keywords

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