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Dodat PJ, Albalat E, Balter V, Couture-Veschambre C, Hardy M, Henrion J, Holliday T, Maureille B. Diverse bone-calcium isotope compositions in Neandertals suggest different dietary strategies. J Hum Evol 2024; 193:103566. [PMID: 39029412 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Zooarcheological and geochemical evidence suggests Neanderthals were top predators, but their adherence to a strictly carnivorous diet has been questioned. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of calcium-stable isotopes to evaluate trophic and ecological relationships. Here, we measure the δ44/42Ca values in bone samples from Mousterian contexts at Grotte du Bison (Marine Isotope Stage 3, Yonne, France) and Regourdou (Marine Isotope Stage 5, Dordogne, France) in two new Neanderthal individuals, associated fauna, and living local plants. We use a Bayesian mixing model to estimate the dietary composition of these Neanderthal individuals, plus a third one already analyzed. The results reveal three distinct diets: a diet including accidental or voluntary consumption of bone-based food, an intermediate diet, and a diet without consumption of bone-based food. This finding is the first demonstration of diverse subsistence strategies among Neanderthals and as such, reconciles archaeological and geochemical dietary evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Jean Dodat
- Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon: Terre, Planètes, Environnements, UMR 5276, CNRS, Ecole Normale supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon Cedex 07 69342, France; Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministry of Culture, PACEA UMR 5199, Pessac F-33600, France.
| | - Emmanuelle Albalat
- Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon: Terre, Planètes, Environnements, UMR 5276, CNRS, Ecole Normale supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon Cedex 07 69342, France
| | - Vincent Balter
- Laboratoire de Géologie de Lyon: Terre, Planètes, Environnements, UMR 5276, CNRS, Ecole Normale supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon Cedex 07 69342, France
| | | | - Maurice Hardy
- CNRS, UMR 7041, Univ. Nanterre, Ministère de la Culture, ArScAn, Nanterre 92000, France
| | - Juliette Henrion
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministry of Culture, PACEA UMR 5199, Pessac F-33600, France
| | - Trenton Holliday
- Tulane University; Department of Anthropology, 101 Dinwiddie Hall, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA; University of the Witwatersrand; Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050, Republic of South Africa
| | - Bruno Maureille
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministry of Culture, PACEA UMR 5199, Pessac F-33600, France
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2
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Bourgon N, Tacail T, Jaouen K, Leichliter JN, McCormack J, Winkler DE, Clauss M, Tütken T. Dietary and homeostatic controls of Zn isotopes in rats: a controlled feeding experiment and modeling approach. Metallomics 2024; 16:mfae026. [PMID: 38755021 PMCID: PMC11157155 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfae026] [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: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The stable isotope composition of zinc (δ66Zn), which is an essential trace metal for many biological processes in vertebrates, is increasingly used in ecological, archeological, and paleontological studies to assess diet and trophic level discrimination among vertebrates. However, the limited understanding of dietary controls and isotopic fractionation processes on Zn isotope variability in animal tissues and biofluids limits precise dietary reconstructions. The current study systematically investigates the dietary effects on Zn isotope composition in consumers using a combined controlled feeding experiment and box-modeling approach. For this purpose, 21 rats were fed one of seven distinct animal- and plant-based diets and a total of 148 samples including soft and hard tissue, biofluid, and excreta samples of these individuals were measured for δ66Zn. Relatively constant Zn isotope fractionation is observed across the different dietary groups for each tissue type, implying that diet is the main factor controlling consumer tissue δ66Zn values, independent of diet composition. Furthermore, a systematic δ66Zn diet-enamel fractionation is reported for the first time, enabling diet reconstruction based on δ66Zn values from tooth enamel. In addition, we investigated the dynamics of Zn isotope variability in the body using a box-modeling approach, providing a model of Zn isotope homeostasis and inferring residence times, while also further supporting the hypothesis that δ66Zn values of vertebrate tissues are primarily determined by that of the diet. Altogether this provides a solid foundation for refined (paleo)dietary reconstruction using Zn isotopes of vertebrate tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Bourgon
- IsoTROPIC research group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Kahlaische Str. 10, Jena, Germany
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, Mainz, Germany
| | - Théo Tacail
- Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, Mainz, Germany
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, Germany
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, 14 avenue Edouard Belin, Toulouse, France
| | - Jennifer N Leichliter
- Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, Mainz, Germany
- HoMeCo Emmy Noether research group, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jeremy McCormack
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Geosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Altenhöferallee 1, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniela E Winkler
- Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, Mainz, Germany
- Zoology and Functional Morphology of Vertebrates, Zoological Institute, University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 3–9, Kiel, Germany
| | - Marcus Clauss
- Clinic for Zoo Animals, Exotic Pets and Wildlife, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 260, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Tütken
- Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, Mainz, Germany
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3
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Hernaiz-García M, Zanolli C, Martín-Francés L, Mazurier A, Benazzi S, Sarig R, Fu J, Kullmer O, Fiorenza L. Masticatory habits of the adult Neanderthal individual BD 1 from La Chaise-de-Vouthon (France). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24926. [PMID: 38420653 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The analysis of dental wear provides a useful approach for dietary and cultural habit reconstructions of past human populations. The analysis of macrowear patterns can also be used to better understand the individual chewing behavior and to investigate the biomechanical responses during different biting scenarios. The aim of this study is to evaluate the diet and chewing performance of the adult Neanderthal Bourgeois-Delaunay 1 (BD 1) and to investigate the relationship between wear and cementum deposition under mechanical demands. MATERIALS AND METHODS The macrowear pattern of BD 1 was analyzed using the occlusal fingerprint analysis method. We propose a new method for the bilateral measurement of the cementum volume along both buccal and lingual sides of the molar root. RESULTS BD 1's anterior dentition is more affected by wear compared to the posterior one. The macrowear pattern suggest a normal chewing behavior and a mixed-diet coming from temperate environments. The teeth on the left side of the mandible display greater levels of wear, as well as the buccal side of the molar crowns. The cementum analysis shows higher buccal volume along the molar roots. DISCUSSION BD1 could have been preferably chewing on the left side of the mandible. The exploitation of various food resources suggested by the macrowear analysis is compatible with the environmental reconstructions. Finally, the greater wear on the buccal side of the molar occlusal surface and the greater volume of cementum in that side of the molar roots offers a preliminary understanding about the potential correlation between dental wear and cementum deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Hernaiz-García
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Laura Martín-Francés
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Paleobiology, CENIEH, Burgos, Spain
| | - Arnaud Mazurier
- CNRS, Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers-IC2MP, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Rachel Sarig
- Department of Oral Biology, The Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jing Fu
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Division of Palaeoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Palaeobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Luca Fiorenza
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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4
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Moubtahij Z, McCormack J, Bourgon N, Trost M, Sinet-Mathiot V, Fuller BT, Smith GM, Temming H, Steinbrenner S, Hublin JJ, Bouzouggar A, Turner E, Jaouen K. Isotopic evidence of high reliance on plant food among Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers at Taforalt, Morocco. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1035-1045. [PMID: 38684738 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02382-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture stands as one of the most important dietary revolutions in human history. Yet, due to a scarcity of well-preserved human remains from Pleistocene sites, little is known about the dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups. Here we present the isotopic evidence of pronounced plant reliance among Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers from North Africa (15,000-13,000 cal BP), predating the advent of agriculture by several millennia. Employing a comprehensive multi-isotopic approach, we conducted zinc (δ66Zn) and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) analysis on dental enamel, bulk carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) and sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis on dentin and bone collagen, and single amino acid analysis on human and faunal remains from Taforalt (Morocco). Our results unequivocally demonstrate a substantial plant-based component in the diets of these hunter-gatherers. This distinct dietary pattern challenges the prevailing notion of high reliance on animal proteins among pre-agricultural human groups. It also raises intriguing questions surrounding the absence of agricultural development in North Africa during the early Holocene. This study underscores the importance of investigating dietary practices during the transition to agriculture and provides insights into the complexities of human subsistence strategies across different regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zineb Moubtahij
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR 5563, CNRS, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, France.
| | - Jeremy McCormack
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute of Geosciences, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nicolas Bourgon
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- IsoTROPIC Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
| | - Manuel Trost
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Virginie Sinet-Mathiot
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- PACEA, UMR 5199, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Ministère de la Culture, Pessac, France
- CBMN, UMR 5248 and Bordeaux Proteome Platform, Bordeaux INP, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Benjamin T Fuller
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR 5563, CNRS, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
| | - Geoff M Smith
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Heiko Temming
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Steinbrenner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Abdeljalil Bouzouggar
- Institut National des Sciences de l'Archéologie et du Patrimoine, Origin and Evolution of Homo Sapiens Cultures, Rabat, Morocco
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elaine Turner
- Monrepos Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution, LEIZA, Neuwied, Germany
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, UMR 5563, CNRS, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
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5
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Pederzani S, Britton K, Trost M, Fewlass H, Bourgon N, McCormack J, Jaouen K, Dietl H, Döhle HJ, Kirchner A, Lauer T, Le Corre M, McPherron SP, Meller H, Mylopotamitaki D, Orschiedt J, Rougier H, Ruebens K, Schüler T, Sinet-Mathiot V, Smith GM, Talamo S, Tütken T, Welker F, Zavala EI, Weiss M, Hublin JJ. Stable isotopes show Homo sapiens dispersed into cold steppes ~45,000 years ago at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:578-588. [PMID: 38297139 PMCID: PMC10927559 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02318-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The spread of Homo sapiens into new habitats across Eurasia ~45,000 years ago and the concurrent disappearance of Neanderthals represents a critical evolutionary turnover in our species' history. 'Transitional' technocomplexes, such as the Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician (LRJ), characterize the European record during this period but their makers and evolutionary significance have long remained unclear. New evidence from Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany, now provides a secure connection of the LRJ to H. sapiens remains dated to ~45,000 years ago, making it one of the earliest forays of our species to central Europe. Using many stable isotope records of climate produced from 16 serially sampled equid teeth spanning ~12,500 years of LRJ and Upper Palaeolithic human occupation at Ranis, we review the ability of early humans to adapt to different climate and habitat conditions. Results show that cold climates prevailed across LRJ occupations, with a temperature decrease culminating in a pronounced cold excursion at ~45,000-43,000 cal BP. Directly dated H. sapiens remains confirm that humans used the site even during this very cold phase. Together with recent evidence from the Initial Upper Palaeolithic, this demonstrates that humans operated in severe cold conditions during many distinct early dispersals into Europe and suggests pronounced adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Pederzani
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- Archaeological Micromorphology and Biomarkers Laboratory (AMBI Lab), Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain.
| | - Kate Britton
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Manuel Trost
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Helen Fewlass
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Ancient Genomics Lab, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Nicolas Bourgon
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- isoTROPIC Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, Jena, Germany
| | - Jeremy McCormack
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, UMR 5563, CNRS, Toulouse, France
| | - Holger Dietl
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Hans-Jürgen Döhle
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - André Kirchner
- State Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology of Lower Saxony (LBEG), Hannover, Germany
| | - Tobias Lauer
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Terrestrial Sedimentology, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Mael Le Corre
- Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
- CNRS, UMR 7209 Archéozoologie et Archéobotanique-Sociétés, Pratiques et Environnements (MNHN-CNRS), Paris, France
| | - Shannon P McPherron
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Harald Meller
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Dorothea Mylopotamitaki
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chair of Paleoanthropology, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Jörg Orschiedt
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Hélène Rougier
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, USA
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Karen Ruebens
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chair of Paleoanthropology, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Tim Schüler
- Thuringian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and Archaeology, Weimar, Germany
| | - Virginie Sinet-Mathiot
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, Pessac, France
| | - Geoff M Smith
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Sahra Talamo
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Chemistry G. Ciamician, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Thomas Tütken
- Applied and Analytical Palaeontology, Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Frido Welker
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Elena I Zavala
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Marcel Weiss
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chair of Paleoanthropology, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
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6
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Smith GM, Ruebens K, Zavala EI, Sinet-Mathiot V, Fewlass H, Pederzani S, Jaouen K, Mylopotamitaki D, Britton K, Rougier H, Stahlschmidt M, Meyer M, Meller H, Dietl H, Orschiedt J, Krause J, Schüler T, McPherron SP, Weiss M, Hublin JJ, Welker F. The ecology, subsistence and diet of ~45,000-year-old Homo sapiens at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:564-577. [PMID: 38297138 PMCID: PMC10927544 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Recent excavations at Ranis (Germany) identified an early dispersal of Homo sapiens into the higher latitudes of Europe by 45,000 years ago. Here we integrate results from zooarchaeology, palaeoproteomics, sediment DNA and stable isotopes to characterize the ecology, subsistence and diet of these early H. sapiens. We assessed all bone remains (n = 1,754) from the 2016-2022 excavations through morphology (n = 1,218) or palaeoproteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (n = 536) and species by proteome investigation (n = 212)). Dominant taxa include reindeer, cave bear, woolly rhinoceros and horse, indicating cold climatic conditions. Numerous carnivore modifications, alongside sparse cut-marked and burnt bones, illustrate a predominant use of the site by hibernating cave bears and denning hyaenas, coupled with a fluctuating human presence. Faunal diversity and high carnivore input were further supported by ancient mammalian DNA recovered from 26 sediment samples. Bulk collagen carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data from 52 animal and 10 human remains confirm a cold steppe/tundra setting and indicate a homogenous human diet based on large terrestrial mammals. This lower-density archaeological signature matches other Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician sites and is best explained by expedient visits of short duration by small, mobile groups of pioneer H. sapiens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoff M Smith
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Kent, UK.
| | - Karen Ruebens
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Elena Irene Zavala
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Virginie Sinet-Mathiot
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, Pessac, France
| | - Helen Fewlass
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Ancient Genomics Lab, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Sarah Pederzani
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Archaeological Micromorphology and Biomarker Lab, University of La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Toulouse, France
| | - Dorothea Mylopotamitaki
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Kate Britton
- Department of Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland
| | - Hélène Rougier
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, USA
| | - Mareike Stahlschmidt
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Meyer
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Harald Meller
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Holger Dietl
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Jörg Orschiedt
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt-State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Johannes Krause
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tim Schüler
- Thuringian State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments and Archaeology, Weimar, Germany
| | - Shannon P McPherron
- Department of Human Origins, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marcel Weiss
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jean-Jacques Hublin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Chaire de Paléoanthropologie, CIRB (UMR 7241-U1050), Collège de France, Paris, France
| | - Frido Welker
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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7
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Dean MC, Garrevoet J, Van Malderen SJM, Santos F, Mirazón Lahr M, Foley R, Le Cabec A. The Distribution and Biogenic Origins of Zinc in the Mineralised Tooth Tissues of Modern and Fossil Hominoids: Implications for Life History, Diet and Taphonomy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1455. [PMID: 38132281 PMCID: PMC10740576 DOI: 10.3390/biology12121455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Zinc is incorporated into enamel, dentine and cementum during tooth growth. This work aimed to distinguish between the processes underlying Zn incorporation and Zn distribution. These include different mineralisation processes, the physiological events around birth, Zn ingestion with diet, exposure to the oral environment during life and diagenetic changes to fossil teeth post-mortem. Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) was used to map zinc distribution across longitudinal polished ground sections of both deciduous and permanent modern human, great ape and fossil hominoid teeth. Higher resolution fluorescence intensity maps were used to image Zn in surface enamel, secondary dentine and cementum, and at the neonatal line (NNL) and enamel-dentine-junction (EDJ) in deciduous teeth. Secondary dentine was consistently Zn-rich, but the highest concentrations of Zn (range 197-1743 ppm) were found in cuspal, mid-lateral and cervical surface enamel and were similar in unerupted teeth never exposed to the oral environment. Zinc was identified at the NNL and EDJ in both modern and fossil deciduous teeth. In fossil specimens, diagenetic changes were identified in various trace element distributions but only demineralisation appeared to markedly alter Zn distribution. Zinc appears to be tenacious and stable in fossil tooth tissues, especially in enamel, over millions of years.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Christopher Dean
- Centre for Human Evolution Research, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Jan Garrevoet
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (J.G.); (S.J.M.V.M.)
| | - Stijn J. M. Van Malderen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany; (J.G.); (S.J.M.V.M.)
| | - Frédéric Santos
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (F.S.); (A.L.C.)
| | - Marta Mirazón Lahr
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; (M.M.L.); (R.F.)
| | - Robert Foley
- Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK; (M.M.L.); (R.F.)
| | - Adeline Le Cabec
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Ministère de la Culture, PACEA, UMR 5199, F-33600 Pessac, France; (F.S.); (A.L.C.)
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Pomeroy E. Review: The different adaptive trajectories in Neanderthals and Homo sapiens and their implications for contemporary human physiological variation. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 280:111420. [PMID: 37001690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Neanderthals are our one of our closest evolutionary cousins, but while they evolved in Eurasia, we (anatomically modern humans, AMH) originated in Africa. This contrasting evolutionary history has led to morphological and genetic distinctions between our species. Neanderthals are characterised by a relatively stocky build, high body mass, proportionally wide bodies and shorter limbs, a bell-shaped ribcage with a wide pelvis, and a long, low cranial vault compared with AMH. Classic readings of Neanderthal morphology link many of these traits to cold climate adaptations, however these interpretations have been questioned and alternative hypotheses including behavioural factors, dietary adaptations, locomotor specialisations, evolutionary history and neutral evolutionary processes have been invoked. Compared with AMH, Neanderthals may have been adapted for strength and power rather than endurance and may have consumed a diet high in animal products. However, reviewing these hypotheses highlights a number of limitations in our understanding of contemporary human physiology and metabolism, including the relationship between climate and morphology in AMH and Neanderthals, physiological limits on protein consumption, and the relationship between gut morphology and diet. As various relevant factors are clearly linked (e.g. diet, behaviour, metabolism, morphology, activity), ultimately a more integrated approach may be needed to fully understand Neanderthal biology. Variation among contemporary AMHs may offer, with caveats, a useful model for understanding the evolution of both Neanderthal and modern human characteristics, which in turn may further deepen our understanding of variability within and between contemporary humans. Neanderthals; Anatomically modern humans; morphology; climate adaptation; power adaptations; metabolism; diet; physiology; endurance running.
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A limited protein high-fat diet may explain the low δ 66Zn conundrum in the Neandertal from Gabasa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218081120. [PMID: 36719913 PMCID: PMC9963207 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218081120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
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10
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Reply to Ben-Dor and Barkai: A low Zn isotope ratio is not equal to a low Zn content. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218491120. [PMID: 36719916 PMCID: PMC9962981 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218491120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
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11
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Paine OCC, Daegling DJ. The game of models: Dietary reconstruction in human evolution. J Hum Evol 2023; 174:103295. [PMID: 36521317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite substantial additions to the paleontological record and unanticipated improvements in analytical techniques since the Journal of Human Evolution was first published, consensus on the diet of early hominin species remains elusive. For instance, the notable advances in the analyses of hominin dental microwear and stable isotopes have provided a plethora of data that have in some instances clouded what was once ostensibly a clear picture of dietary differentiation between and within hominin taxa. In the present study, we explore the reasons why the retrodiction of diet in human evolution has proven vexing over the last half century from the perspective of both ecological and functional-mechanical models. Such models continue to be indispensable for paleobiological reconstructions, but they often contain rigid or unstated assumptions about how primary paleontological data, such as fossils and their geological and taphonomic contexts, allow unambiguous insight into the evolutionary processes that produced them. In theoretical discussions of paleobiology, it has long been recognized that a mapping function of morphology to adaptation is not one-to-one, in the sense that a particular trait cannot necessarily be attributed to a specific selective pressure and/or behavior. This article explores how the intrinsic variability within biological systems has often been underappreciated in paleoanthropological research. For instance, to claim that derived anatomical traits represent adaptations related to stereotypical behaviors largely ignores the importance of biological roles (i.e., how anatomical traits function in the environment), a concept that depends on behavioral flexibility for its potency. Similarly, in the paleoecological context, the underrepresentation of variability within the 'edible landscapes' our hominin ancestors occupied has inhibited an adequate appreciation of early hominin dietary flexibility. Incorporating the reality of variation at organismal and ecological scales makes the practice of paleobiological reconstruction more challenging, but in return, allows for a better appreciation of the evolutionary possibilities that were open to early hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver C C Paine
- Department of Anthropology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
| | - David J Daegling
- Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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Lüdecke T, Leichliter JN, Aldeias V, Bamford MK, Biro D, Braun DR, Capelli C, Cybulski JD, Duprey NN, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Foreman AD, Habermann JM, Haug GH, Martínez FI, Mathe J, Mulch A, Sigman DM, Vonhof H, Bobe R, Carvalho S, Martínez-García A. Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotopes in modern tooth enamel: A case study from Gorongosa National Park, central Mozambique. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.958032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The analyses of the stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and oxygen (δ18O) in animal tissues are powerful tools for reconstructing the feeding behavior of individual animals and characterizing trophic interactions in food webs. Of these biomaterials, tooth enamel is the hardest, most mineralized vertebrate tissue and therefore least likely to be affected by chemical alteration (i.e., its isotopic composition can be preserved over millions of years), making it an important and widely available archive for biologists and paleontologists. Here, we present the first combined measurements of δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O in enamel from the teeth of modern fauna (herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores) from the well-studied ecosystem of Gorongosa National Park (GNP) in central Mozambique. We use two novel methods to produce high-precision stable isotope enamel data: (i) the “oxidation-denitrification method,” which permits the measurement of mineral-bound organic nitrogen in tooth enamel (δ15Nenamel), which until now, has not been possible due to enamel’s low organic content, and (ii) the “cold trap method,” which greatly reduces the sample size required for traditional measurements of inorganic δ13Cenamel and δ18Oenamel (from ≥0.5 to ≤0.1 mg), permitting analysis of small or valuable teeth and high-resolution serial sampling of enamel. The stable isotope results for GNP fauna reveal important ecological information about the trophic level, dietary niche, and resource consumption. δ15Nenamel values clearly differentiate trophic level (i.e., carnivore δ15Nenamel values are 4.0‰ higher, on average, than herbivores), δ13Cenamel values distinguish C3 and/or C4 biomass consumption, and δ18Oenamel values reflect local meteoric water (δ18Owater) in the park. Analysis of combined carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotope data permits geochemical separation of grazers, browsers, omnivores, and carnivores according to their isotopic niche, while mixed-feeding herbivores cannot be clearly distinguished from other dietary groups. These results confirm that combined C, N, and O isotope analyses of a single aliquot of tooth enamel can be used to reconstruct diet and trophic niches. Given its resistance to chemical alteration, the analysis of these three isotopes in tooth enamel has a high potential to open new avenues of research in (paleo)ecology and paleontology.
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Pilaar Birch SE, Szpak P. Current developments and future directions in archaeological science. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2212490119. [PMID: 36252010 PMCID: PMC9618125 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212490119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne E. Pilaar Birch
- Department of Anthropology, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602
| | - Paul Szpak
- Department of Anthropology, Trent University, Peterborough, K9L 0G2 ON, Canada
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