1. Rythmes saisonniers des élevages préhistoriques en Europe tempérée
- Author
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Marie Balasse, Delphine Frémondeau, and Carlos Tornero
- Subjects
husbandry systems ,animal birth seasonality ,domestic stock ,enamel ,stable isotopes ,Archaeology ,CC1-960 - Abstract
Birth seasonality of domestic animals is a key parameter of husbandry systems. It determines the organization of pastoral tasks and availability of resources (tender meat, milk) throughout the year. It is most likely that in temperate Europe, cattle, sheep, goat and pigs had seasonally driven reproduction cycles. This parameter may have put constraint on prehistoric husbandries. However, the length of the birthing period and its centring in the year may have been different according to environmental conditions and zootechnical parameters. Animal birth distribution may be determined directly from the zooarchaeological remains. This objective is approached using sequential stable isotope analysis in tooth enamel. This article explains the methodology, from the choice of the specimens to the data treatment, and briefly exposes the first results obtained in some assemblages from temperate Europe dated to the 6th to the 4th millennia BC.
- Published
- 2015
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