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Slepchenko S, Sadykov T, Fomicheva D, Blochin J, Caspari G. Parasites provide evidence for fish consumption among Iron Age Siberian pastoralists. Sci Rep 2024; 14:23551. [PMID: 39384816 PMCID: PMC11464790 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74284-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The subsistence economies of prehistoric pastoralists of the Eurasian steppes have long been viewed through an oversimplified model of reliance on domesticated animals. This conceptualization has begun to shift dramatically through the introduction of scientific analyses, pivoting towards an evidence-based interpretation of economic flexibility and adaptive heterogeneity. Here we provide insights into the dietary practices of Iron Age pastoralists in Siberia through an archaeoparasitological analysis. Soil samples from the Tunnug 1 site in southern Siberia reveal the presence of helminth eggs of Taenia sp. (likely), Trichuris sp., and Dibothriocephalus sp. This indicates that the diet of the analysed prehistoric population might have included beef and did include freshwater fish, occasionally consumed in undercooked or raw form. Despite the primary reliance on pastoralism and possibly small-scale millet agriculture, these populations engaged in diverse dietary practices, including fish consumption. Additionally, the presence of Trichuris sp. eggs points to poor sanitary conditions, possible consumption of contaminated plant foods, and the contamination of drinking water with feces. By providing direct evidence of dietary habits, archaeoparasitology complements isotopic analyses and contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the subsistence strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Slepchenko
- Tyumen Scientific Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 86 Malygina Street, 625003, Tyumen, Russia
| | - Timur Sadykov
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvortsovaya Nabereznaya 18, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Daria Fomicheva
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvortsovaya Nabereznaya 18, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Jegor Blochin
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvortsovaya Nabereznaya 18, 191186, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Gino Caspari
- Domestication and Anthropogenic Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, 07745, Jena, Germany.
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Mittelstrasse 43, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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Laffranchi Z, Zingale S, Indra L, Coia V, Salazar García DC, Paladin A, Kaeser MA, Delley G, Szidat S, Lösch S, Zink A, Milella M. Geographic origin, ancestry, and death circumstances at the Cornaux/Les Sauges Iron Age bridge, Switzerland. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12180. [PMID: 38886480 PMCID: PMC11183204 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62524-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cornaux/Les Sauges (Switzerland, Late Iron Age) revealed remnants of a wooden bridge, artifacts, and human and animal skeletal remains. The relationship between the collapsed structure and the skeletal material, whether it indicates a potential accident or cultural practices, remains elusive. We evaluate the most plausible scenario for Cornaux based on osteological, taphonomic, isotopic, and paleogenomic analysis of the recovered individuals. The latter amount to at least 20 individuals, mostly adult males. Perimortem lesions include only blunt force traumas. Radiocarbon data fall between the 3rd and 1st c. BCE, although in some cases predating available dendrochronological estimates from the bridge. Isotopic data highlight five to eight nonlocals. No close genetic relatedness links the analyzed skeletons. Paleogenomic results, the first for Iron Age Switzerland, point to a genetic affinity with other Central and Western European Iron Age groups. The type of skeletal lesions supports an accidental event as the more plausible explanation. Radiocarbon data and the demographic structure of the sample may suggest a sequence of different events possibly including executions and/or sacrifices. Isotopic and paleogenomic data, while not favoring one scenario over the other, do support earlier interpretations of the last centuries BCE in Europe as a dynamic period from a biocultural perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Lara Indra
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Coia
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Domingo C Salazar García
- Departament de Prehistòria, Arqueologia i Història Antiga, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Alice Paladin
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
| | | | | | - Sönke Szidat
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Lösch
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Albert Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
- Ludwig. Maximilians- Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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Chan A, Sadykov T, Blochin J, Hajdas I, Caspari G. The polymorphism and tradition of funerary practices of medieval Turks in light of new findings from Tuva Republic. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274537. [PMID: 36137099 PMCID: PMC9499277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The medieval Turks of the eastern Asian steppe are known for funerary finds exalting horsemanship and military heroism that thrived on intertribal warfare. Existing bodies of research on various categories of objects—which include architecture, stelae, grave goods and inhumations—are in depth but highly regionalized. As a result, our understanding of the archaeological culture of the Turks on a spatio-temporal scale commensurate with territorial shifts in their political dominion throughout the period of the Turk khaganates (mid-6th to mid-8th centuries CE) remains disjunct. The present paper addresses this problem of disparate data. We present a synthesis of the archaeological research of medieval Turks spanning Mongolia, southern Siberia, and Xinjiang in view of results of the excavation of medieval burials at Tunnug 1 in Tuva Republic—where Turkic remains are dispersed and not easily distinguishable from other funerary cultures of connecting time periods. We argue that Turkic funerary culture can be better characterized as polymorphic–the presence of different regional amalgams of burial traditions. The horse-and-human burials and commemorative ogradka known to be quintessentially Turkic are but one of the more dominant amalgams. This pattern of differential practices is congruent with the history of medieval Turks evolving as peoples of mixed lineages and political groupings, rather than people of a unitary culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Chan
- Institute for Sinology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Centre de Recherche sur les Civilisations de l’Asie Orientale (CRCAO), Paris, France
| | - Timur Sadykov
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Jegor Blochin
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irka Hajdas
- Laboratory of Ion Beam Physics, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gino Caspari
- Department of Archaeology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Milella M, Caspari G, Laffranchi Z, Arenz G, Sadykov T, Blochin J, Keller M, Kapinus Y, Lösch S. Dining in Tuva: Social correlates of diet and mobility in Southern Siberia during the 2nd–4th centuries
CE. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9314596 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Objectives Contemporary archeological theory emphasizes the economic and social complexity of Eurasian steppe populations. As a result, old notions of “nomadic” cultures as homogenously mobile and economically simple are now displaced by more nuanced interpretations. Large part of the literature on diet and mobility among Eurasian pastoralists is focused on the Bronze and Iron Ages. The underrepresentation of more recent contexts hampers a full discussion of possible chronological trajectories. In this study we explore diet and mobility at Tunnug1 (Republic of Tuva, 2nd–4th century CE), and test their correlation with social differentiation. Materials and Methods We compare demographic patterns (by age‐at‐death and sex) of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S) among 65 humans and 12 animals from Tunnug1 using nonparametric tests and Bayesian modeling. We then compare isotopic data with data on perimortal skeletal lesions of anthropic origin and funerary variables. Results Our analyses show that: (1) diet at Tunnug1 was largely based on C4 plants (likely millet) and animal proteins; (2) few individuals were nonlocals, although their geographic origin remains unclarified; (3) no differences in diet separates individuals based on sex and funerary treatment. In contrast, individuals with perimortal lesions show carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios consistent with a diet incorporating a lower consumption of millet and animal proteins. Discussion Our results confirm the previously described socioeconomic variability of steppe populations, providing at the same time new data about the economic importance of millet in Southern Siberia during the early centuries CE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern
| | - Gino Caspari
- Department of Archaeology University of Sydney Sydney Australia
- Institute of Archaeological Sciences University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern
| | - Gabriele Arenz
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern
| | - Timur Sadykov
- Institute for the History of Material Culture Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Jegor Blochin
- Institute for the History of Material Culture Russian Academy of Sciences St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Marcel Keller
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics University of Tartu Tartu Estonia
| | - Yulija Kapinus
- Volga‐Ural Center for Paleoanthropological Research SSSPU Samara Russia
| | - Sandra Lösch
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern
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Braun S, Indra L, Lösch S, Milella M. Perimortem Skeletal Sharp Force Trauma: Detection Reliability on CT Data, Demographics and Anatomical Patterns from a Forensic Dataset. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11050666. [PMID: 35625394 PMCID: PMC9138488 DOI: 10.3390/biology11050666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The increased use of computed tomography images in forensic anthropology is easily explained with a variety of benefits: among other reasons they are digitally stored, they can easily be shared and they are non-invasive. However, it is not clear how suitable these images are for forensic anthropologists to detect sharp force trauma. Therefore, we analyzed computed tomography images, by observing digital images of 41 forensic cases in different viewing modalities. In addition, we looked for anatomical injury patterns in the soft- and hard-tissues and any significant correlations between the manner of death (suicide or homicide) with different parameters. Our findings indicated a superiority of viewing the images in 2D, but not all bone lesions were detected. The manner of death was significantly correlated to some of the parameters, which could be extrapolated to future forensic anthropological cases. We promote the inclusion of imaging training into the anthropological curricula. Abstract The increasing importance of trauma analysis by means of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is insufficiently reflected in forensic curricula, nor are best practice manuals available. We attempt to detect sharp force bone lesions on PMCT of closed forensic cases with the aims of assessing errors and pointing out patterns in anatomical location and manner of death (MOD). We investigated 41 closed sharp force fatality cases, with available PMCT and forensic reports. Two observers with different radiological training assessed the lesions on PMCT scans (2D and 3D) for comparison with the reports. Between 3% (suicides) and 15.3% (homicides) of sharp force injuries caused visible bone lesions. While our observations were repeatable, each forensic investigation left a similar number of bone lesions undetected. Injury patterns differed between MOD, with thoracic bone lesions being most frequent overall. Soft tissue injury location varied between the MOD. Associations between MOD and age as well as number of injuries were significant. The detection of bone lesions on PMCT for untrained forensic specialists is challenging, curricula and pertinent manuals are desirable. With the low frequency of bone lesions compared to soft tissue injuries, we should be aware when analyzing decomposed bodies.
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Indra L, Lösch S. Forensic anthropology casework from Switzerland (Bern): Taphonomic implications for the future. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL: REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsir.2021.100222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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The Kokel of Southern Siberia: New data on a post-Xiongnu material culture. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254545. [PMID: 34270599 PMCID: PMC8284818 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
From the end of the Xiongnu Empire to the establishment of the first Turkic Khaganate, the territory of Southern Siberia sees the emergence of distinctive local material cultures. The Kokel culture is essentially unknown in the international English-language literature even though archaeological sites pertaining to this material culture are among the most common in Tuva (Southern Siberia). This makes them important for the understanding aspects of the sociocultural dynamics following the collapse of the first “steppe empire”. Here we present the results of the study of a Kokel funerary site recently excavated near the Early Iron Age kurgan Tunnug 1 and discuss the data in the context of the available Soviet and Russian literature. The Kokel culture substantially differs from the material culture of the Xiongnu and has to be seen as a largely independent cultural entity of small tribal groups without a pronounced social hierarchy engaging in frequent violent local conflict.
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