Mesolithic Subsistence Research Articles

Inferences on Sicilian Mesolithic subsistence patterns from cross-sectional geometry and entheseal changes

Using cross-sectional geometry (CSG), entheseal changes (ECs), and presence of external auditory meatus exostosis (EAE), this study tests the hypothesis—based on isotopic and zooarchaeological evidence—that in the Sicilian Mesolithic terrestrial rather than marine resources were predominantly exploited, in substantial continuity with previous Epigravettian hunters. Results show similarities in the general frequency of ECs—a rough proxy for overall activity—with Late Pleistocene hunters, in contrast with Mesolithic coastal foragers or Neolithic herders/farmers. Yet, CSG suggests that this possible continuity in the type of resources exploited was accompanied by a behavioral change, and in particular the abandonment of the throwing technology, possibly in favor of new tools such as traps and the bow and arrow. In fact, the dramatic decrease in humeral bilateral asymmetry documented at a European level with the Pleistocene-Holocene transition can be found also in the Sicilian Mesolithic. Results for the lower limb appear compatible with a certain degree of terrestrial mobility in a rugged environment. The frequency of EAE suggests that activities related to water were present but not common; however, their prominence is difficult to determine given the small sample size. The pattern of information provided by the proxies for activity used here is complex and partially contrasting, but has the potential to integrate and enrich archeological methods and biochemical approaches. This study corroborates a varied scenario of continuity and discontinuity in subsistence at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, and highlights the importance of a regional bioarchaeological approach of human biological and behavioral adaptations.

Glacial and post-glacial adaptations of hunter-gatherers: Investigating the late Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic subsistence strategies in the southern steppe of Eastern Europe

Diverse landscapes and ecosystems stretching across Europe led to diverse hunter-gatherer cultural records during the Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic. In response to abrupt climatic forcing, starting around the Late Glacial Maximum and followed by climatic events such as the Bølling–Allerød and the Younger Dryas in the Terminal Pleistocene, archaeological data pertaining to cultural and behavioral shifts of hunter-gatherers continue to be explored on a regional and pan-regional scale. Here we present an initial summary, which includes new and published data on faunal analyses from multiple open air sites that span the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene, dated between the Late Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic (20,000–6000 uncal 14C BP) in the southern steppe of Eastern Europe. For this area, this is the first study to compile the cultural and faunal data with geo-referenced localization and radiometric dates of the archaeological sites. Taken together, faunal assemblages from the Epigravettian are characterized by low diversity and are often dominated by one species of large game, including bison and equids, whereas the Mesolithic diet is characterized by higher inter-site variability subsisting on large ungulate and greater emphasis on freshwater resources. This study contributes to the general knowledge concerning the last phases in the evolution of the Eurasian hunter-gatherers.

The adoption of pottery by north-east European hunter-gatherers: Evidence from lipid residue analysis

Pottery was adopted by hunter-gatherers in the Eastern Baltic at the end of the 6th millennium cal BC. To examine the motivations for this cultural and technological shift, here we report the organic residue analysis of ceramic vessels from the earliest pottery horizon (Narva) in this region. A combined approach using GC-MS, GC-C-IRMS and bulk IRMS of residues absorbed into the ceramic and charred surface deposits was employed. The results show that despite variable preservation, Narva ceramic vessels were preferentially used for processing aquatic products. We argue that pottery was part of a new Late Mesolithic subsistence strategy which included more intensive exploitation of aquatic foods and may have had important implications, such as increased sedentism and population growth.

The transition to agriculture in south-western Europe: new isotopic insights from Portugal's Atlantic coast

Abstract

Fjord fishing in Mesolithic Western Norway

Recent excavations at two rockshelters (Olsteinhelleren and Sævarhelleren) on the Hardanger fjord in Western Norway have provided an unparalleled opportunity to examine the Mesolithic subsistence economy of this region. Thousands of fish remains (as well as numerous mammal and bird bones) have been analysed from these assemblages. Results show that the fishery was dominated by gadids, but labrids and salmonids were also important. Many other fish were present in small quantities, including the first specimen of sturgeon from the Stone Age of Norway. The transition to a more specialised fishery at the younger site, Olsteinhelleren, may be a reflection of a switch to the use of this locality as a logistic camp for the targeting of gadid fish.

From Sado Valley to Europe: Mesolithic dietary practices through different geographic distributions

This study presents new stable isotope (carbon and nitrogen) data from human and faunal remains from three Mesolithic shell middens (Cabeço das Amoreiras, Arapouco and Cabeço do Pez), located on the estuary of the Sado River, Portugal. The results have revealed a diet composed mainly of terrestrial C3 resources (from terrestrial animals and a small contribution from vegetable sources) and a proportion of marine resources close to 20%. These groups followed a subsistence pattern characterized by a variable settlement regime promoted by the availability of the resources in each region, and social and demographic factors that would induce human dietary diversification.The Sado Valley results were compared with other European Mesolithic groups in order to provide a general view of the subsistence patterns of some of the last hunter-gatherer groups. The high degree of regionalization observed with the comparisons shows that it is impossible to characterise a single subsistence pattern for all European Mesolithic groups. In this sense, environmental characteristics, the geomorphology, the effectiveness of communities' adaptation, and the influence of social and demographic factors probably influenced Mesolithic subsistence patterns in Europe.

Stable Isotope Evidence of Neolithic Palaeodiets in the Coastal Regions of Southern Portugal

ABSTRACT To understand stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) and radiocarbon results for a batch of 16 burials from the Bom Santo Cave (Portugal) a comprehensive analysis of data from 29 archaeological sites located in the coastal regions of the southern half of the country was undertaken. Results showed that, while some individuals seem to have eaten more marine or aquatic (i.e., freshwater) food as a result of locally available resources, the overall picture indicated a balanced consumption of terrestrial plants and herbivores throughout all stages of the Neolithic. This pattern represents a shift from Mesolithic subsistence focused on locally available resources to the introduction of a farming economic system with its associated changes in settlement and possibly also demography.

Hazelnut economy of early Holocene hunter–gatherers: a case study from Mesolithic Duvensee, northern Germany

Throughout the greater part of human evolution in Europe, use of plant foods is invisible and thus might have played a secondary role in nutrition. Ecological changes at the beginning of the early Holocene provoked innovations in early Mesolithic subsistence, focusing on the rich plant resources of the increasingly forested environment. High-resolution analyses of the excellently preserved and well-dated special task camps documented in detail at Duvensee, Northern Germany, offer an outstanding opportunity for case studies on Mesolithic subsistence and land use strategies. Quantification of the nut utilisation demonstrates the great importance of hazelnuts. These studies revealed very high return rates and allow for absolute assessments of the development of early Holocene economy. Stockpiling of the energy rich resource and an increased logistical capacity are innovations characterising an intensified early Mesolithic land use, which is reflected in the stable tradition of uniform seasonal settlement patterns at early Mesolithic Duvensee. The case study reveals characteristics in early Mesolithic subsistence and land use that anticipate attributes of the Neolithic economy.

Three successive waves of Neolithisation: LBK development in Transdanubia

Due to the latest research, the LBK formation in Transdanubia must have involved an essentially Mesolithic subsistence, complemented by certain elements of the Neolithic package brought here by migrant late Star≠evo groups. Many small sites were located in marshy areas, unsuitable for food production as a basis of livelihood. The currently available evidence suggests that there was a 4–5 generations long period, when it was not self-evident that the sedentary way of life would be fully accepted and adopted. During the ensuing earlier LBK period, the culture spread across the entire area of Transdanubia and a few settlements were even established on the left Danube bank, still, no substantial changes can be noted in the density of the settlement network and the layout of the settlements. In sharp contrast to the preceding period, the Keszthely and Notenkopf phases saw the settlement of larger communities on arable loess plateaus and the adoption an economy based exclusively on farming. New evidence from 53rd century BC sites such as Balatonszárszó-Kis-erdei-dűlő reflects fundamental changes in the size and layout of settlements, as well as in subsistence strategies.

The Early Mesolithic Haverbeck site, Northwest Germany: evidence for Preboreal settlement in the Western and Central European Plain

Archaeological sites dating from the Preboreal are of special interest since they mark the turning point in the transition between the cultures of the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene. In spite of their relevance only few sites in the Western and Central European Plain have become known, thus providing an inhomogeneous basis for further hypotheses. In particular, sites in the widespread aeolian landscapes have been neglected for a long time due to their uncertain genesis, dating problems and obviously insufficient preservation. Our investigations of the Haverbeck site, situated in sandy aeolian substrate, seek to enhance knowledge about the Preboreal Mesolithic. The well-preserved archaeological spatial, technological and functional patterns and the geoarchaeological site formation were studied. Sedimentological and palaeopedological analyses, supported by 14C and OSL dating results, revealed that artefacts were deposited during the Preboreal on sands which had accumulated during the Younger Dryas and were reactivated in subsequent periods (Atlantic, Subboreal, Subatlantic). In spite of these processes, the artefacts remained unimpaired in their relative horizontal positions, enabling spatial analyses, which show a zonal differentiation and a prevalence of retooling and replacing activities. These results offer an insight into spatial and functional differentiations of the local Early Mesolithic subsistence, evidently including particular places for gathering and processing raw material. A comparison between the microlithic spectrum left behind and the number of points produced as concluded from the microburins indicates a greater typological differentiation than previously assumed for the Early Mesolithic. The remarkable variability of scraper forms obviously intentionally abandoned in a high number and replaced by new tools emphasizes the strong influence of functional elements on the typological assemblage composition. It is suggested that Early Mesolithic assemblages could display rather functional requirements or tasks performed than significant chronological or regional influences. In addition, the combination of 14C, OSL and pedology helped to reconstruct the aeolian accumulation/erosion dynamics and to present a considerable sequence of processes, some of which are closely connected with human activities.

Dynamics of the coastal North Black Sea area in Late Pleistocene and Holocene and early human dispersal

Based on detailed surveys, the reconstructions of coastal and marine environments of the North-Western Black Sea shelf were carried out for the time spans of ca 25, 18, 12, 10–7, and 7–4 ka BP. During the great part of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene the Black Sea remained a land-locked basin of the Caspian type, which became colonised by early modern humans starting from ca 40 ka. The subsequent evolution of coastal landscapes was generally conditioned by the gradual rise of sea-level and increasing temperature and precipitation, resulting in the formation of coastal wetland landscapes, which became the main source of Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic subsistence. The initial indications of farming activities are coeval with the Kalamitian stage, being conditioned by the increased temperature and precipitation combined with the formation of fertile soils under Altithermal conditions. The data fail to indicate a catastrophic breakthrough of Mediterranean water that could have had any effect on the subsistence or migrations of early farming communities.

Fire and Mesolithic subsistence — managing oaks for acorns in northwest Europe?

The possible role of fire in manipulating, maintaining or improving European Mesolithic subsistence supplies has long been discussed, in relation to both animal and plant resources, though the latter have received far less attention. Here it is considered in relation to one potentially important food resource — the acorn. Little consideration has been given to a possible role for fire in manipulating oaks in the Mesolithic — perhaps because northern European oaks are not generally perceived as being fire-responsive or fire-tolerant. This paper will examine ethnographic and ecological data that allow us to suggest the possibility that fire could have been used to manipulate the acorn supply, and question how such a process might be detected in the palaeoenvironmental record. An attempt is made to extend and apply the model for Mesolithic burning suggested by Moore (in 1996) to two pollen and microcharcoal sequences from Mesolithic Britain. This leads to a general conclusion that previous attempts to detect Mesolithic environmental impacts may have been misled by an emphasis on clearances, and that an alternative approach may be required to detect subtler impacts of European hunter-gatherers on vegetation.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE PLEISTOCENE–HOLOCENE TRANSITION IN THE NORTHERN RHINELAND, GERMANY

Abstract Northern Rhineland archaeological sites provide information on patterns of subsistence and settlement during the late-Pleistocene Magdalenian and Final Palaeolithic and the early-Holocene Mesolithic periods and allow a good resolution of their relative and absolute chronology. The Magdalenian is represented by two major sites in the Central Rhineland (Gonnersdorf and Andernach-Martinsberg). Exogenous lithic raw materials show intensive contact to the northwestern Meuse–Rhine drainage area. This phase of settlement existed in the context of a ‘loess-steppe’ or ‘mammoth-steppe’ and absolute dates show that this was before the late glacial interstadial climatic amelioration. Subsistence was based on the hunting of large herd animals. The Magdalenian is succeeded by lithic assemblages of the Federmessergruppen characterised by short scrapers and backed points. Raw materials suggest that the Central Rhineland population had a radius of mobility approaching that found in the Magdalenian. Sites are particularly well preserved in the Neuwied Basin, due to burial by pumice deposits of the Laacher See eruption, and show that the Allerod population inhabited a mosaic landscape of open woodland and hunted a range of ‘temperate’ species. Evidence for differing site structuration, the exploitation of a diverse fauna and seasonality suggest that Federmessergruppen settlement patterns were possibly as complex as those proposed for the Magdalenian. During the Dryas III stadial the northern Rhineland was occupied or visited by Ahrensburgian tanged-point groups. It has been suggested that exploitation of the northern fringe of the Upland Zone formed an integral part of the subsistence strategy of the Ahrensburgian population involving the spring hunting of reindeer migrating to the uplands. Whereas the Holocene Mesolithic in the northern part of the region probably developed out of the Ahrensburgian tradition, it seems that the Mesolithic to the South developed from Federmessergruppen industries present throughout Dryas III. A small number of Rhineland sites provides evidence for Mesolithic subsistence activities or site organisation.

The Exploitation of Carnivores and Other Fur‐bearing Mammals during the North‐western European Late and Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic

The exploitation of large mammals, particularly large herbivores, has dominated perceptions of Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic subsistence behaviour in north‐western Europe. This paper critically reviews the evidence for the exploitation of a complementary resource which has received little attention within the archaeological literature — carnivores and other fur‐bearing mammals. Evidence for exploitation of individual species is described and discussed. A model is then developed to explain the apparent expansion of the subsistence base to include a wide range of fur‐bearing mammals during the Lateglacial and Mesolithic. This paper concludes by arguing that although the use of carnivore meat and pelts cannot be viewed as a dominant trend in European hunter‐gatherer subsistence practices, their contribution to hunter‐gatherer economies cannot be ignored.

Mesolithic Subsistence in North India: Inferences from Dental Attributes

Mesolithic Subsistence in North India: Inferences from Dental Attributes

Hunter-Gatherer/Agriculturalist Exchange in Prehistory: An Indian Example

Previous articleNext article No AccessResearch ConclusionsHunter-Gatherer/Agriculturalist Exchange in Prehistory: An Indian ExampleGregory L. Possehl, and Kenneth A. R. KennedyGregory L. Possehl Search for more articles by this author , and Kenneth A. R. Kennedy Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Current Anthropology Volume 20, Number 3Sep., 1979 Sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/202336 Views: 7Total views on this site Citations: 21Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1979 The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological ResearchPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Filippo Brandolini, Francesco Carrer Terra, Silva et Paludes . Assessing the Role of Alluvial Geomorphology for Late-Holocene Settlement Strategies (Po Plain – N Italy) Through Point Pattern Analysis, Environmental Archaeology 26, no.55 (Mar 2020): 511–525.https://doi.org/10.1080/14614103.2020.1740866Nupur Tiwari, P. Morthekai, K. Krishnan, Parth R. Chauhan Late Quaternary sediments dated to between 12.5 and 2.3 ka and associated microlithic occurrences in the central Narmada Basin, Madhya Pradesh, India, Geological Society, London, Special Publications 56 (May 2021): SP515-2020-216.https://doi.org/10.1144/SP515-2020-216K. Paddayya Economic transactions in our deep past, Studies in People's History 6, no.22 (Nov 2019): 109–118.https://doi.org/10.1177/2348448919872282Shanti Pappu, Kumar Akhilesh Tools, trails and time: Debating Acheulian group size at Attirampakkam, India, Journal of Human Evolution 130 (May 2019): 109–125.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.02.004Vidwan Singh Soni, Anujot Singh Soni Soanian Tools in Northwestern Sub-Himalayas are not that Old, Arts & Humanities Open Access Journal 1, no.44 (Dec 2017).https://doi.org/10.15406/ahoaj.2017.01.00019Benjamin Valentine More than Origins, (Apr 2016): 187–204.https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119055280.ch12Teresa P. Raczek The Ahar Culture and Others, (Apr 2016): 225–239.https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119055280.ch14Eleanor Kingwell-Banham, Dorian Q. Fuller Shifting cultivators in South Asia: Expansion, marginalisation and specialisation over the long term, Quaternary International 249 (Feb 2012): 84–95.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2011.05.025Robin Coningham, Mark Manuel Priest-Kings or Puritans? Childe and Willing Subordination in the Indus, European Journal of Archaeology 12, no.1-31-3 (Jan 2017): 167–180.https://doi.org/10.1177/1461957109339691Dorian Q Fuller Agricultural Origins and Frontiers in South Asia: A Working Synthesis, Journal of World Prehistory 20, no.11 (Dec 2006): 1–86.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10963-006-9006-8Kathleen D. Morrison, Laura L. Junker Forager-Traders in South and Southeast Asia, 3 (Sep 2009).https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511489631V. N. Misra Prehistoric human colonization of India, Journal of Biosciences 26, no.44 (Nov 2001): 491–531.https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02704749Kenneth A.R. Kennedy Paleoanthropology of South Asia, Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews 8, no.55 (Jan 1999): 165–185.https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6505(1999)8:5<165::AID-EVAN5>3.0.CO;2-0Bernard K. Maloney The Long-Term History of Human Activity and Rainforest Development, (Dec 2012): 65–85.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-1800-4_4Gregory L. Possehl The transformation of the Indus Civilization, Journal of World Prehistory 11, no.44 (Dec 1997): 425–472.https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02220556 John R. Lukacs , and J. N. Pal Mesolithic Subsistence in North India: Inferences from Dental Attributes, Current Anthropology 34, no.55 (Oct 2015): 745–765.https://doi.org/10.1086/204220Vasant Shinde Padri and the Indus civilization, South Asian Studies 8, no.11 (Aug 2010): 55–66.https://doi.org/10.1080/02666030.1992.9628444Jonathan Mark Kenoyer The Indus Valley Tradition of Pakistan and western India, Journal of World Prehistory 5, no.44 (Dec 1991): 331–385.https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00978474Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, John Chiment, Todd Disotell, David Meyers Principal-components analysis of prehistoric South Asian crania, American Journal of Physical Anthropology 64, no.22 (Jun 1984): 105–118.https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330640203Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, Peggy C. Caldwell South Asian Prehistoric Human Skeletal Remains and Burial Practices, (Jan 1984): 159–197.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-5001-7_8S. R. Walimbe Population movements in the Indian subcontinent during the protohistoric period: Physical anthropological assessment, (): 297–319.https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-5562-5_13