Stable
isotope evidence from three Belgian sites
Attempts to gain insight into
Neanderthal diet have been many and various over the years. Methods have
included consideration of dental microwear, tooth calculus, lithic use-wear and
residues, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data. These studies have shown
that the Neanderthal diet included the consumption of large herbivores, but the
extent to which smaller mammals, birds, riverine and seafood was eaten remains
uncertain.
To address these issues, researchers
conducted carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses of collagen extracted
from Neanderthal remains from the Belgian sites of Goyet and Spy. Results were
compared with those from extensive faunal remains from Goyet, Spy and a third
Belgian site, Scladina. These included
mammoth, rhino, horse, reindeer, hyena, wolf, cave bear and cave lions. The
proportion of the isotopes carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 reflect an animal’s place
in the food chain: the highest levels are found in carnivores.
The
results show that Neanderthal isotope levels and hence diet differed from that
of any carnivore, indicating that they occupied a distinct ecological niche.
The overall data suggested that while predators typically preferred smaller
animals such as reindeer and horse, the Neanderthal focus was on large herbivores.
Mammoth was the most important source of meat, accounting for around 30 to 40 percent
of the Neanderthal diet. Reindeer and rhino accounted for lesser proportions,
and plant food for about 20 percent.
Reference:
Wißing, C. et al., Isotopic evidence for dietary
ecology of late Neandertals in North-Western Europe. Quaternary
International, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.09.091 (2015).
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