Diet and subsistence practices in Holocene north Africa : an integrated archaeological, molecular and isotopic approach
The transition to food production in Africa follows a different trajectory to that of the European Neolithic, where, rather than the adoption of farming, pastoralism became an established and widespread way of life, long before the domestication of plants. In the early 'Green ' Holocene, hunter-gatherers lived semi-sedentary lifestyles, becoming more mobile as drying conditions commenced. Domesticated cattle, sheep and goat appeared in north Africa by the middle Holocene and faunal remains and rock art suggests that cattle played a significant role in the lives and ideology of prehistoric people in Neolithic north Africa. However, to date, no direct evidence exists that prehistoric Holocene groups were exploiting secondary products. Furthermore, archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence from sites across Holocene north Africa suggests that the gathering and processing of wild plants was a significant component in the subsistence strategies of both the early hunter-gatherers and the later pastoralists in the region. This thesis reports the results of the first organic residue analyses, using lipid biomarker and stable isotope approaches, of ceramics originating from Holocene north Africa. The pottery constitutes
Dunne, Julie
Diet and subsistence practices in Holocene north Africa : an integrated archaeological, molecular and isotopic approach. The transition to food production in Africa follows a different trajectory to that of the European Neolithic, where, rather than the adoption of farming, pastoralism became an established and widespread way of life, long before the domestication of plants. In the early 'Green ' Holocene, hunter-gatherers lived semi-sedentary lifestyles, becoming more mobile as drying conditions commenced. Domesticated cattle, sheep and goat appeared in north Africa by the middle Holocene and faunal remains and rock art suggests that cattle played a significant role in the lives and ideology of prehistoric people in Neolithic north Africa. However, to date, no direct evidence exists that prehistoric Holocene groups were exploiting secondary products. Furthermore, archaeological and archaeobotanical evidence from sites across Holocene north Africa suggests that the gathering and processing of wild plants was a significant component in the subsistence strategies of both the early hunter-gatherers and the later pastoralists in the region. This thesis reports the results of the first organic residue analyses, using lipid biomarker and stable isotope approaches, of ceramics originating from Holocene north Africa. The pottery constitutes
diet subsistence_practice holocene north africa integrated archaeological molecular isotopic approach transition food_production africa follow different trajectory european neolithic rather adoption farming pastoralism become_establish widespread way_life long domestication plant early green holocene hunter_gatherer live semi sedentary lifestyle become mobile dry condition commence domesticated cattle_sheep goat appear north_africa middle holocene faunal_remains rock_art suggest cattle play_significant_role live ideology prehistoric people neolithic north_africa however date direct_evidence exist prehistoric holocene group exploit secondary_product furthermore archaeological archaeobotanical_evidence site_across holocene north africa suggest gather process wild plant significant_component subsistence_strategy early hunter_gatherer later pastoralists region report first organic_residue analysis use lipid stable_isotope approach ceramic originate holocene north africa pottery constitutes