G08 - Biomolecular and Stable Isotope Windows on Lifestyles, Environments and Evolution in the Neolithic

Session Organisers: Melanie Roffet-Salque, Richard Evershed

Category: Archaeometry

Session Abstract: The most significant developments in the past 30 years in the study of Neolithic people have been the emergence of biomolecular and stable isotope proxies. The most widely applied approaches include stable isotope analyses of skeletal remains and lipids preserved in pottery vessels. The use of these proxies is underpinned by extensive investigations of reference materials and experimental studies, as well as analyses of thousands of finds from prehistoric cultures around the world. Likewise, ancient DNA is delivering important levels of understanding of human, animal and plant origins and relationships, and aspects of their evolution. Beyond these a number of new proxies are in the offing, notably proteins in pottery and dental calculus, which are set to add new dimensions to palaeodietary reconstructions. Even when used alone these biomolecular proxies have achieved spectacular new levels of understanding of Neolithic cultures. This conference session will explore the future potential offered by existing and emerging new biomolecular and isotope proxies for Neolithic studies. Contributions are encouraged that present new proxies, address the validation of existing proxies and demonstrate the integration of different lines of evidence. Multi-proxy studies, and the development of “big data” and statistical approaches to explore more deeply complex phenomena underpinning the adaptation of humans, animals and plants to new environments and the living of sedentary lifestyles are especially welcomed. We are particularly interested in receiving contributions presenting new biomolecular or stable isotope proxies for environment and subsistence stressors, such those related to crop failures, zoonotic diseases and climate change/deterioration.

Room: C

05/11/2024

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
10:00 - 10:20	Cheryl Makarewicz	A Critical Assessment f Stable Isotopes As a Proxy for Neolithic Mobility: Lessons from the Tessellated Neolithic (Geo)environments of the Southern Levant
10:20 - 10:40	Adrià Breu Barcons, Hadi Özbal, Rana Özbal, Pınar Özükurt, Cafer Çakal, Ayla Türkekul Bıyık, Sidar Gündüzalp	Tracing Anatolian Neolithic Foodways Through Isotopic And Biomolecular Proxies In Organic Residues From 7th And 6th Millennium Pottery Vessels.
10:40 - 11:00	Sidar Gündüzalp, Ayla Türkekul Bıyık, Adrià Breu Barcons, Rana Özbal	Unveiling Neolithic Cooking Practises: Organic residue analyses of the Initial Neolithic pottery from the 7th Millennium BCE, Sumaki Höyük in the Upper Tigris Basin
11:00 - 11:20	Rana Özbal, Adrià Breu Barcons, Hadi Özbal, Laurens Thissen, Ayla Türkekul Bıyık, Fokke Gerritsen	The Emergence and Evolution of Dairying in Neolithic Northwest Anatolia: Insights from Barcın Höyük

Lunch Break

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
13:00 - 13:20	Chloé Stevens	A Multi-Proxy Geoarchaeological Investigation of an Early Holocene Soil Feature at the Page-Ladson Site (Florida, U.S.)
13:20 - 13:40	Isabel Wiltshire, Charlie Maule, Iman Abdelgani, Timothy D. J. Knowles, Richard Evershed, Harald Stäuble, Caroline Hamon, Michael Ilett, Mélanie Roffet-Salque, Matthias Conrad, Matthias Halle, Isabel Hohle, Saskia Kretschmer, Germo Schmalfuß, Sabine Wolfram, Lamys Hachem	Biomolecular approaches to investigating wild resource exploitation in Neolithic Europe
13:40 - 14:00	Peter Tóth, Miriam Nyvltová Fišáková, Johana Malíšková, Filip Ševcík	Stable isotopes reveal animal management practices at the LBK settlement of Tešetice-Kyjovice, Czech Republic
14:00 - 14:20	Rosalind Gillis	Into the woods: Exploring the use of wood-pastures in early European animal husbandry practices.

Coffee Break

Start Time - End Time	Authors	Title
14:45 - 15:25	Mark Thomas	Plenary Talk: Integrating different data sources: A multi-proxy approach to understanding the evolution of lactase persistence in Europe
15:25 - 16:15	all participants	Discussion