An isotopic investigation into calving seasonality, diet and dairying in British prehistoric cattle : reconstructing animal husbandry at a sub-annual resolution using multi-isotope analysis and intra-tooth sampling
The detection of dairying is essential to understand prehistoric economies, particularly in northwest Europe, where a high degree of lactose tolerance implies that fresh milk has long been a significant dietary component. Domestic cattle (Bos taurus) are biologically able to breed year-round, potentially enabling farmers to select a calving strategy to suit their economic focus. Published literature and interviews with farmers suggests that spring calving would have been favoured by economies focussed on meat or storable dairy products, whereas the year-round provision of fresh milk would have required two calving seasons, in spring and autumn, or an extended period through spring, summer and autumn. This thesis uses intra-tooth isotope ratio analysis of cattle tooth enamel to predict birth seasonality as an indicator of dairying. Analysis was performed on first, second and third cattle molars from the archaeological sites of Mine Howe, Pool and Earlâs Bu (Iron Age and Viking period Orkney), Old Scatness (Iron Age Shetland) and Grimes Graves (Bronze Age Norfolk). Modern molars from Chillingham Wild White cattle were also analysed. A new method to determine cattle birth seasonality has been proposed utilising
Towers, Jacqueline Ruth
Oxygen, carbon, strontium, enamel, collagen, Northern Isles, Grimes Graves, Chillingham
An isotopic investigation into calving seasonality, diet and dairying in British prehistoric cattle : reconstructing animal husbandry at a sub-annual resolution using multi-isotope analysis and intra-tooth sampling. The detection of dairying is essential to understand prehistoric economies, particularly in northwest Europe, where a high degree of lactose tolerance implies that fresh milk has long been a significant dietary component. Domestic cattle (Bos taurus) are biologically able to breed year-round, potentially enabling farmers to select a calving strategy to suit their economic focus. Published literature and interviews with farmers suggests that spring calving would have been favoured by economies focussed on meat or storable dairy products, whereas the year-round provision of fresh milk would have required two calving seasons, in spring and autumn, or an extended period through spring, summer and autumn. This thesis uses intra-tooth isotope ratio analysis of cattle tooth enamel to predict birth seasonality as an indicator of dairying. Analysis was performed on first, second and third cattle molars from the archaeological sites of Mine Howe, Pool and Earlâs Bu (Iron Age and Viking period Orkney), Old Scatness (Iron Age Shetland) and Grimes Graves (Bronze Age Norfolk). Modern molars from Chillingham Wild White cattle were also analysed. A new method to determine cattle birth seasonality has been proposed utilising
isotopic investigation seasonality diet dairying british prehistoric cattle reconstruct animal_husbandry sub annual resolution use multi isotope_analysis intra tooth sampling detection dairying essential prehistoric economy particularly northwest_europe high_degree tolerance implies fresh milk long significant dietary component domestic cattle bos taurus biologically able breed year_round potentially enable farmer select strategy suit economic focus published literature interview farmer suggest spring would favour economy focus meat dairy product whereas year_round provision fresh milk would require extend period spring use intra tooth isotope_ratio analysis cattle tooth_enamel predict birth seasonality indicator dairying analysis_perform first_second third cattle molar archaeological_site mine pool earl period orkney old iron age shetland bronze_age norfolk modern molar wild white cattle also_analyse new_method determine cattle birth seasonality propose utilising