Rebecca Fraser | University of Oxford (original) (raw)

Papers by Rebecca Fraser

Research paper thumbnail of The QUAVIDA synergy: quaternary fire, vegetation and climate change in Australasia

ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University), Jul 1, 2007

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Research paper thumbnail of A study of stable carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in modern Australian marsupial herbivores, and their relationships with environmental conditions

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Research paper thumbnail of ‘The Neolithic site of Makriyalos, northern Greece: reconstruction of social and economic structure of the settlement through comparative study of the finds (invited participant)

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Research paper thumbnail of Interpreting crop and animal management strategies at Neolithic Kouphovouno, Sparti, Greece: integrating information from plant and animal isotopes, micro wear analysis and archer-botanical and -zoological studies

In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone... more In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone remains from Middle-Late Neolithic Kouphovouno in order to investigate the crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices employed by the early farmers. Previous work on the nature of Neolithic agriculture has shed light on the symbiotic relationship in which plant and animal husbandry strategies may function. For example, the by-product of crop cultivation can be used as fodder to feed the animals and the by-product of the animals, dung, can be used to fertilize the soils in which the crops are grown.1 But just how this inter-dependent strategy was maintained remains to be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Our aim is to use isotopic evidence to address questions of how intensively the cereal and pulse crops were managed, what the diets of the livestock were and how the farmers at Kouphovouno made use of the surrounding landscape for the grazing of animals. These results are interp...

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Research paper thumbnail of RESEARCH ARTICLE Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence for Neolithic and Bronze Age Crop Water Management in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest

In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determi... more In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticumspp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeumsp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cul-tural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativumand Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices.

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Research paper thumbnail of The Bandkeramik settlement of Vaihingen an der Enz, Kreis Ludwigsburg (Baden-Württemberg): an integrated perspective on land use, economy and diet

Dieser Beitrag integriert diverse Ansatze zur Untersuchung der Landnutzung, Okonomie und Ernahrun... more Dieser Beitrag integriert diverse Ansatze zur Untersuchung der Landnutzung, Okonomie und Ernahrung des linearbandkeramischen Fundplatzes Vaihingen an der Enz, einer extensiv ausgegrabenen Siedlung mit Bestattungen des Altneolithikums (spates 6. Jahrtausend cal BC). Wir synthetisieren die Resultate primarer und stabiler Isotopenanalysen an Fauna, menschlichen und botanischen Resten, die im Licht der Unterschiede in der materiellen Kultur innerhalb der Siedlung und im Verlauf der Nutzungszeit interpretiert werden. Dieser integrierte Ansatz lasst eine dynamische Beziehung zwischen der wechselnden Grose und sozialen Geographie der Siedlungsgemeinschaft einerseits und ihrer Landnutzung andererseits erkennen.

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Research paper thumbnail of INQUA 2007 Abstracts

Quaternary International, 2007

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Research paper thumbnail of Crop manuring and intensive land management by Europe's first farmers

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013

The spread of farming from western Asia to Europe had profound long-term social and ecological im... more The spread of farming from western Asia to Europe had profound long-term social and ecological impacts, but identification of the specific nature of Neolithic land management practices and the dietary contribution of early crops has been problematic. Here, we present previously undescribed stable isotope determinations of charred cereals and pulses from 13 Neolithic sites across Europe (dating ca . 5900–2400 cal B.C.), which show that early farmers used livestock manure and water management to enhance crop yields. Intensive manuring inextricably linked plant cultivation and animal herding and contributed to the remarkable resilience of these combined practices across diverse climatic zones. Critically, our findings suggest that commonly applied paleodietary interpretations of human and herbivore δ 15 N values have systematically underestimated the contribution of crop-derived protein to early farmer diets.

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Research paper thumbnail of Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence for Neolithic and Bronze Age Crop Water Management in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia

PloS one, 2015

In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determi... more In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticum spp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeum sp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cultural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativum and Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices.

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Research paper thumbnail of Combining functional weed ecology and crop stable isotope ratios to identify cultivation intensity: a comparison of cereal production regimes in Haute Provence, France and Asturias, Spain

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2015

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Research paper thumbnail of Integrating botanical, faunal and human stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values to reconstruct land use and palaeodiet at LBK Vaihingen an der Enz, Baden-Württemberg

World Archaeology, 2013

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Research paper thumbnail of Assessing natural variation and the effects of charring, burial and pre-treatment on the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of archaeobotanical cereals and pulses

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2013

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Research paper thumbnail of The Preservation and Interpretation of δ34 S Values in Charred Archaeobotanical Remains

Archaeometry

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Research paper thumbnail of Of cattle and feasts: Multi-isotope investigation of animal husbandry and communal feasting at Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece

PloS one, 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilizat... more The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilization of domestic animals for slaughter at large communal feasting events, in Late Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece. A multi-isotope approach is built that integrates analysis of: δ13C and δ15N values of human and animal bone collagen for understanding long-term dietary behavior,Incremental δ13C and δ18O values of domestic animal tooth enamel carbonate for assessing seasonal patterns in grazing habits and mobility, and87Sr/86Sr ratios of cattle tooth enamel for examining the possibility that some of the animals consumed at the site were born outside the local environment. The findings indicate that cattle had isotopically more variable diets than sheep, which may reflect grazing over a wider catchment area in the local landscape. Cattle products did not make a significant contribution to the long-term dietary protein intake of the humans, which may indicate that they were primarily co...

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Research paper thumbnail of Disentangling the effect of farming practice from aridity on crop stable isotope values: A present-day model from Morocco and its application to early farming sites in the eastern Mediterranean

The Anthropocene Review, 2016

Agriculture has played a pivotal role in shaping landscapes, soils and vegetation. Developing a b... more Agriculture has played a pivotal role in shaping landscapes, soils and vegetation. Developing a better understanding of early farming practices can contribute to wider questions regarding the long-term impact of farming and its nature in comparison with present-day traditional agrosystems. In this study we determine stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of barley grains from a series of present-day traditionally managed farming plots in Morocco, capturing a range of annual rainfall and farming practices. This allows a framework to be developed to refine current isotopic approaches used to infer manuring intensity and crop water status in (semi-)arid regions. This method has been applied to charred crop remains from two early farming sites in the eastern Mediterranean: Abu Hureyra and 'Ain Ghazal. In this way, our study enhances knowledge of agricultural practice in the past, adding to understanding of how people have shaped and adapted to their environment over thousands of years.

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Research paper thumbnail of Interpreting ancient crop and animal management strategies at Neolithic Kouphovouno, southern Greece: Results of integrating crop and animal stable isotopes and dental micro- and mesowear

Aegaeum

In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone... more In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone remains from Middle-Late Neolithic Kouphovouno in order to investigate the crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices employed by the early farmers. Previous work on the nature of Neolithic agriculture has shed light on the symbiotic relationship in which plant and animal husbandry strategies may function. For example, the by-product of crop cultivation can be used as fodder to feed the animals and the by-product of the animals, dung, can be used to fertilize the soils in which the crops are grown. But just how this inter-dependent strategy was maintained remains to be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Our aim is to use isotopic evidence to address questions of how intensively the cereal and pulse crops were managed, what the diets of the livestock were and how the farmers at Kouphovouno made use of the surrounding landscape for the grazing of animals. These results are interpr...

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Research paper thumbnail of The effect of manuring on cereal and pulse amino acid δ15N values

Phytochemistry, 2014

Amino acid δ(15)N values of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains a... more Amino acid δ(15)N values of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains and rachis and broad bean (Vicia faba) and pea (Pisum sativum) seeds, grown in manured and unmanured soil at the experimental farm stations of Rothamsted, UK and Bad Lauchstädt, Germany, were determined by GC-C-IRMS. Manuring was found to result in a consistent (15)N-enrichment of cereal grain amino acid δ(15)N values, indicating that manuring did not affect the metabolic routing of nitrogen (N) into cereal grain amino acids. The increase in cereal grain δ(15)N values with manuring is therefore due to a (15)N-enrichment in the δ(15)N value of assimilated inorganic-N. Greater variation was observed in the (15)N-enrichment of rachis amino acids with manuring, possibly due to enhanced sensitivity to changes in growing conditions and higher turnover of N in rachis cells compared to cereal grains. Total amino acid δ(15)N values of manured and unmanured broad beans and peas were very similar, indicating that the legumes assimilated N2 from the atmosphere rather than N from the soil, since there was no evidence for routing of (15)N-enriched manure N into any of the pulse amino acids. Crop amino acid δ(15)N values thus provide insights into the sources of N assimilated by non N2-fixing and N2-fixing crops grown on manured and unmanured soils, and reveal an effect of manure on N metabolism in different crop species and plant parts.

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Research paper thumbnail of The effect of charring and burial on the biochemical composition of cereal grains: investigating the integrity of archaeological plant material

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Research paper thumbnail of Of cattle and feasts: Multi-isotope investigation of animal husbandry and communal feasting at Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece

PloS one, 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilizat... more The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilization of domestic animals for slaughter at large communal feasting events, in Late Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece. A multi-isotope approach is built that integrates analysis of: δ13C and δ15N values of human and animal bone collagen for understanding long-term dietary behavior,Incremental δ13C and δ18O values of domestic animal tooth enamel carbonate for assessing seasonal patterns in grazing habits and mobility, and87Sr/86Sr ratios of cattle tooth enamel for examining the possibility that some of the animals consumed at the site were born outside the local environment. The findings indicate that cattle had isotopically more variable diets than sheep, which may reflect grazing over a wider catchment area in the local landscape. Cattle products did not make a significant contribution to the long-term dietary protein intake of the humans, which may indicate that they were primarily co...

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Research paper thumbnail of Interpreting ancient crop and animal management strategies at Neolithic Kouphovouno, southern Greece: Results of integrating crop and animal stable isotopes and dental micro- and mesowear

Aegaeum

In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone... more In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone remains from Middle-Late Neolithic Kouphovouno in order to investigate the crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices employed by the early farmers. Previous work on the nature of Neolithic agriculture has shed light on the symbiotic relationship in which plant and animal husbandry strategies may function. For example, the by-product of crop cultivation can be used as fodder to feed the animals and the by-product of the animals, dung, can be used to fertilize the soils in which the crops are grown. But just how this inter-dependent strategy was maintained remains to be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Our aim is to use isotopic evidence to address questions of how intensively the cereal and pulse crops were managed, what the diets of the livestock were and how the farmers at Kouphovouno made use of the surrounding landscape for the grazing of animals. These results are interpr...

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Research paper thumbnail of The QUAVIDA synergy: quaternary fire, vegetation and climate change in Australasia

ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University), Jul 1, 2007

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Research paper thumbnail of A study of stable carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in modern Australian marsupial herbivores, and their relationships with environmental conditions

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of ‘The Neolithic site of Makriyalos, northern Greece: reconstruction of social and economic structure of the settlement through comparative study of the finds (invited participant)

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Interpreting crop and animal management strategies at Neolithic Kouphovouno, Sparti, Greece: integrating information from plant and animal isotopes, micro wear analysis and archer-botanical and -zoological studies

In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone... more In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone remains from Middle-Late Neolithic Kouphovouno in order to investigate the crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices employed by the early farmers. Previous work on the nature of Neolithic agriculture has shed light on the symbiotic relationship in which plant and animal husbandry strategies may function. For example, the by-product of crop cultivation can be used as fodder to feed the animals and the by-product of the animals, dung, can be used to fertilize the soils in which the crops are grown.1 But just how this inter-dependent strategy was maintained remains to be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Our aim is to use isotopic evidence to address questions of how intensively the cereal and pulse crops were managed, what the diets of the livestock were and how the farmers at Kouphovouno made use of the surrounding landscape for the grazing of animals. These results are interp...

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Research paper thumbnail of RESEARCH ARTICLE Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence for Neolithic and Bronze Age Crop Water Management in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest

In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determi... more In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticumspp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeumsp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cul-tural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativumand Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices.

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Research paper thumbnail of The Bandkeramik settlement of Vaihingen an der Enz, Kreis Ludwigsburg (Baden-Württemberg): an integrated perspective on land use, economy and diet

Dieser Beitrag integriert diverse Ansatze zur Untersuchung der Landnutzung, Okonomie und Ernahrun... more Dieser Beitrag integriert diverse Ansatze zur Untersuchung der Landnutzung, Okonomie und Ernahrung des linearbandkeramischen Fundplatzes Vaihingen an der Enz, einer extensiv ausgegrabenen Siedlung mit Bestattungen des Altneolithikums (spates 6. Jahrtausend cal BC). Wir synthetisieren die Resultate primarer und stabiler Isotopenanalysen an Fauna, menschlichen und botanischen Resten, die im Licht der Unterschiede in der materiellen Kultur innerhalb der Siedlung und im Verlauf der Nutzungszeit interpretiert werden. Dieser integrierte Ansatz lasst eine dynamische Beziehung zwischen der wechselnden Grose und sozialen Geographie der Siedlungsgemeinschaft einerseits und ihrer Landnutzung andererseits erkennen.

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Research paper thumbnail of INQUA 2007 Abstracts

Quaternary International, 2007

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Research paper thumbnail of Crop manuring and intensive land management by Europe's first farmers

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013

The spread of farming from western Asia to Europe had profound long-term social and ecological im... more The spread of farming from western Asia to Europe had profound long-term social and ecological impacts, but identification of the specific nature of Neolithic land management practices and the dietary contribution of early crops has been problematic. Here, we present previously undescribed stable isotope determinations of charred cereals and pulses from 13 Neolithic sites across Europe (dating ca . 5900–2400 cal B.C.), which show that early farmers used livestock manure and water management to enhance crop yields. Intensive manuring inextricably linked plant cultivation and animal herding and contributed to the remarkable resilience of these combined practices across diverse climatic zones. Critically, our findings suggest that commonly applied paleodietary interpretations of human and herbivore δ 15 N values have systematically underestimated the contribution of crop-derived protein to early farmer diets.

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Research paper thumbnail of Stable Carbon Isotope Evidence for Neolithic and Bronze Age Crop Water Management in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southwest Asia

PloS one, 2015

In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determi... more In a large study on early crop water management, stable carbon isotope discrimination was determined for 275 charred grain samples from nine archaeological sites, dating primarily to the Neolithic and Bronze Age, from the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This has revealed that wheat (Triticum spp.) was regularly grown in wetter conditions than barley (Hordeum sp.), indicating systematic preferential treatment of wheat that may reflect a cultural preference for wheat over barley. Isotopic analysis of pulse crops (Lens culinaris, Pisum sativum and Vicia ervilia) indicates cultivation in highly varied water conditions at some sites, possibly as a result of opportunistic watering practices. The results have also provided evidence for local land-use and changing agricultural practices.

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Research paper thumbnail of Combining functional weed ecology and crop stable isotope ratios to identify cultivation intensity: a comparison of cereal production regimes in Haute Provence, France and Asturias, Spain

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2015

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Integrating botanical, faunal and human stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values to reconstruct land use and palaeodiet at LBK Vaihingen an der Enz, Baden-Württemberg

World Archaeology, 2013

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Research paper thumbnail of Assessing natural variation and the effects of charring, burial and pre-treatment on the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of archaeobotanical cereals and pulses

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2013

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Research paper thumbnail of The Preservation and Interpretation of δ34 S Values in Charred Archaeobotanical Remains

Archaeometry

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Research paper thumbnail of Of cattle and feasts: Multi-isotope investigation of animal husbandry and communal feasting at Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece

PloS one, 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilizat... more The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilization of domestic animals for slaughter at large communal feasting events, in Late Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece. A multi-isotope approach is built that integrates analysis of: δ13C and δ15N values of human and animal bone collagen for understanding long-term dietary behavior,Incremental δ13C and δ18O values of domestic animal tooth enamel carbonate for assessing seasonal patterns in grazing habits and mobility, and87Sr/86Sr ratios of cattle tooth enamel for examining the possibility that some of the animals consumed at the site were born outside the local environment. The findings indicate that cattle had isotopically more variable diets than sheep, which may reflect grazing over a wider catchment area in the local landscape. Cattle products did not make a significant contribution to the long-term dietary protein intake of the humans, which may indicate that they were primarily co...

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Research paper thumbnail of Disentangling the effect of farming practice from aridity on crop stable isotope values: A present-day model from Morocco and its application to early farming sites in the eastern Mediterranean

The Anthropocene Review, 2016

Agriculture has played a pivotal role in shaping landscapes, soils and vegetation. Developing a b... more Agriculture has played a pivotal role in shaping landscapes, soils and vegetation. Developing a better understanding of early farming practices can contribute to wider questions regarding the long-term impact of farming and its nature in comparison with present-day traditional agrosystems. In this study we determine stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of barley grains from a series of present-day traditionally managed farming plots in Morocco, capturing a range of annual rainfall and farming practices. This allows a framework to be developed to refine current isotopic approaches used to infer manuring intensity and crop water status in (semi-)arid regions. This method has been applied to charred crop remains from two early farming sites in the eastern Mediterranean: Abu Hureyra and 'Ain Ghazal. In this way, our study enhances knowledge of agricultural practice in the past, adding to understanding of how people have shaped and adapted to their environment over thousands of years.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Interpreting ancient crop and animal management strategies at Neolithic Kouphovouno, southern Greece: Results of integrating crop and animal stable isotopes and dental micro- and mesowear

Aegaeum

In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone... more In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone remains from Middle-Late Neolithic Kouphovouno in order to investigate the crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices employed by the early farmers. Previous work on the nature of Neolithic agriculture has shed light on the symbiotic relationship in which plant and animal husbandry strategies may function. For example, the by-product of crop cultivation can be used as fodder to feed the animals and the by-product of the animals, dung, can be used to fertilize the soils in which the crops are grown. But just how this inter-dependent strategy was maintained remains to be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Our aim is to use isotopic evidence to address questions of how intensively the cereal and pulse crops were managed, what the diets of the livestock were and how the farmers at Kouphovouno made use of the surrounding landscape for the grazing of animals. These results are interpr...

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Research paper thumbnail of The effect of manuring on cereal and pulse amino acid δ15N values

Phytochemistry, 2014

Amino acid δ(15)N values of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains a... more Amino acid δ(15)N values of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) grains and rachis and broad bean (Vicia faba) and pea (Pisum sativum) seeds, grown in manured and unmanured soil at the experimental farm stations of Rothamsted, UK and Bad Lauchstädt, Germany, were determined by GC-C-IRMS. Manuring was found to result in a consistent (15)N-enrichment of cereal grain amino acid δ(15)N values, indicating that manuring did not affect the metabolic routing of nitrogen (N) into cereal grain amino acids. The increase in cereal grain δ(15)N values with manuring is therefore due to a (15)N-enrichment in the δ(15)N value of assimilated inorganic-N. Greater variation was observed in the (15)N-enrichment of rachis amino acids with manuring, possibly due to enhanced sensitivity to changes in growing conditions and higher turnover of N in rachis cells compared to cereal grains. Total amino acid δ(15)N values of manured and unmanured broad beans and peas were very similar, indicating that the legumes assimilated N2 from the atmosphere rather than N from the soil, since there was no evidence for routing of (15)N-enriched manure N into any of the pulse amino acids. Crop amino acid δ(15)N values thus provide insights into the sources of N assimilated by non N2-fixing and N2-fixing crops grown on manured and unmanured soils, and reveal an effect of manure on N metabolism in different crop species and plant parts.

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of charring and burial on the biochemical composition of cereal grains: investigating the integrity of archaeological plant material

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Of cattle and feasts: Multi-isotope investigation of animal husbandry and communal feasting at Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece

PloS one, 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilizat... more The aim of this study is to investigate livestock husbandry and its relationship to the mobilization of domestic animals for slaughter at large communal feasting events, in Late Neolithic Makriyalos, northern Greece. A multi-isotope approach is built that integrates analysis of: δ13C and δ15N values of human and animal bone collagen for understanding long-term dietary behavior,Incremental δ13C and δ18O values of domestic animal tooth enamel carbonate for assessing seasonal patterns in grazing habits and mobility, and87Sr/86Sr ratios of cattle tooth enamel for examining the possibility that some of the animals consumed at the site were born outside the local environment. The findings indicate that cattle had isotopically more variable diets than sheep, which may reflect grazing over a wider catchment area in the local landscape. Cattle products did not make a significant contribution to the long-term dietary protein intake of the humans, which may indicate that they were primarily co...

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Interpreting ancient crop and animal management strategies at Neolithic Kouphovouno, southern Greece: Results of integrating crop and animal stable isotopes and dental micro- and mesowear

Aegaeum

In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone... more In this case study, we analyze stable isotope signatures of ancient charred plant and faunal bone remains from Middle-Late Neolithic Kouphovouno in order to investigate the crop cultivation and animal husbandry practices employed by the early farmers. Previous work on the nature of Neolithic agriculture has shed light on the symbiotic relationship in which plant and animal husbandry strategies may function. For example, the by-product of crop cultivation can be used as fodder to feed the animals and the by-product of the animals, dung, can be used to fertilize the soils in which the crops are grown. But just how this inter-dependent strategy was maintained remains to be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Our aim is to use isotopic evidence to address questions of how intensively the cereal and pulse crops were managed, what the diets of the livestock were and how the farmers at Kouphovouno made use of the surrounding landscape for the grazing of animals. These results are interpr...

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