Original scientific paper
Nitrogen and Strontium Isotopes as Tools for the Reconstruction of Breastfeeding Practices and Human Behavior – A Neolithic Collective Grave in Bronocice (Poland)
Beata Cienkosz-Stepanczak
; Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Aleksandra Lisowska-Gaczorek
; Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Elzbieta Haduch
; Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Rob Ellam
; Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, United Kingdom
Gordon Cook
; Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, United Kingdom
Janusz Kruk
; Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology Polish Academy of Science, Krakow, Poland
Sarunas Milisauskas
; Department of Anthropology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA
Slawomir Koziel
; Department of Anthropology, Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
Krysztof Szostek
; Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Abstract
Isotopic analyses are often used in biological anthropology and bioarcheology, in studies of ancient human populations.
Such analyses in anthropology have been used to study migration patterns, the nutrition strategies of prehistoric populations
and the weaning of infants. The main objective of this work was to investigate patterns of breastfeeding and weaning
in Neolithic populations at Bronocice in Poland using nitrogen stable isotopes. Additionally, strontium isotope analysis
was conducted to determine if the individuals from the collective grave (Burial XIII, Pit 36-B1) at Bronocice were of local
origin. The samples consisted of skeletal remains from individuals buried in the collective grave during the early Funnel
Beaker-Baden phase (3300-3100 BC). Two models have been used for reconstructing precisely the age at the start and end
of weaning (Schurr’s model and WARN model). The results suggest that weaning began in the first year of life and ended
at about 3 years of age.
Keywords
Strontium; Carbon; Nitrogen; Breastfeeding practices; Neolith
Hrčak ID:
200341
URI
Publication date:
6.10.2017.
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