Abstract
At Norje Sunnansund, an Early Holocene settlement in southern Sweden, the world's earliest evidence of fermentation has been interpreted as a method of managing long-term and large-scale food surplus. While an advanced fishery is suggested by the number of recovered fish bones, until now it has not been possible to identify the origin of the fish, or whether and how their seasonal migration was exploited. We analysed strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) in 16 cyprinid and 8 pike teeth, which were recovered at the site, both from within the fermentation pit and from different areas outside of it, by using laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Our investigation indicates three different regions of origin for the fish at the site. We find that the most commonly fermented fish, cyprinids (roach), were caught in the autumn during their seasonal migration from the Baltic Sea to the sheltered stream and lake next to the site. This is in contrast to the cyprinids from other areas of the site, which were caught when migrating from nearby estuaries and the Baltic Sea coast during late spring. The pikes from the fermentation pit were caught in the autumn as by-catch to the mainly targeted roach while moving from the nearby Baltic Sea coast. Lastly, the pikes from outside the fermentation pit were likely caught as they migrated from nearby waters in sedimentary bedrock areas to the south of the site, to spawn in early spring. Combined, these data suggest an advanced fishery with the ability to combine optimal use of seasonal fish abundance at different times of the year. Our results offer insights into the practice of delayed-return consumption patterns, provide a more complete view of the storage system used, and increase our understanding of Early Holocene sedentism among northern hunter-fisher-gatherers. By applying advanced strontium isotope analyses to archaeological material integrated into an ecological setting, we present a methodology that can be used elsewhere to enhance our understanding of the otherwise elusive indications of storage practices and fish exploitation patterns among ancient foraging societies.
Highlights
Hunter-fisher-gatherer subsistence strategies are often related to optimal foraging theory [1, 2]
Bulk stable analyses of three rodent teeth, from field voles recovered from Norje Sunnansund, have already been performed and published [92]
At the area in the direct vicinity of Norje Sunnansund, estimating an accurate baseline is more complex as the local geological characteristics are highly diverse (Fig 6) and because the former lake has been drained to create arable farmland (S34 Fig in S1 File)
Summary
Hunter-fisher-gatherer subsistence strategies are often related to optimal foraging theory [1, 2] This generally implies a close connection with mobility patterns, with the assumption that once a particular part of the landscape begins to run low on resources, i.e. when search and pursuit costs increase above the cost of moving to a different area (see the marginal value theorem [3]), people move from that area, as a risk-reducing strategy [4]. Among societies that are largely dependent on reliable aquatic resources for sustenance, mobility is often less important [5, 6] For these groups of people, favourable locations within the landscape have increased importance [7], e.g. where fish are available all year round and where it is possible to exploit massively increased numbers of fish during limited periods (i.e. during fish migrations or spawning activities). When no ethnographic accounts are available and when taphonomic processes have erased much of the organic record, the potential for understanding ancient hunter-fisher-gathering societies, their level of complexity and their utilization of fish migrations, is significantly diminished, and many criteria for understanding forager complexity remain elusive [19]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
