Bleasdale, Madeleine, Wotzka, Hans-Peter 
ORCID: 0000-0002-5713-278X, Eichhorn, Barbara, Mercader, Julio, Styring, Amy, Zech, Jana, Soto, Maria, Inwood, Jamie, Clarke, Siobhan, Marzo, Sara, Fieldler, Bianca, Linseele, Veerle, Boivin, Nicole and Roberts, Patrick
(2020).
Isotopic and microbotanical insights into Iron Age agricultural reliance in the Central African rainforest.
Communications Biology, 3 (619).
Springer Nature.
ISSN 2399-3642
Abstract
The emergence of agriculture in Central Africa has previously been associated with the migration of Bantu-speaking populations during an anthropogenic or climate-driven ‘opening’ of the rainforest. However, such models are based on assumptions of environmental requirements of key crops (e.g. Pennisetum glaucum) and direct insights into human dietary reliance remain absent. Here, we utilise stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O) of human and animal remains and charred food remains, as well as plant microparticles from dental calculus, to assess the importance of incoming crops in the Congo Basin. Our data, spanning the early Iron Age to recent history, reveals variation in the adoption of cereals, with a persistent focus on forest and freshwater resources in some areas. These data provide new dietary evidence and document the longevity of mosaic subsistence strategies in the region.
| Item Type: | Article |
| Creators: | Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Bleasdale, Madeleine UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Eichhorn, Barbara UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mercader, Julio UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Styring, Amy UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Zech, Jana UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Soto, Maria UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Inwood, Jamie UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Clarke, Siobhan UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Marzo, Sara UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Fieldler, Bianca UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Linseele, Veerle UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Boivin, Nicole UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Roberts, Patrick UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED |
| URN: | urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-529088 |
| Identification Number: | 10.1038/s42003-020-01324-2 |
| Journal or Publication Title: | Communications Biology |
| Volume: | 3 |
| Number: | 619 |
| Date: | 2020 |
| Publisher: | Springer Nature |
| ISSN: | 2399-3642 |
| Language: | English |
| Faculty: | Faculty of Arts and Humanities |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Arts and Humanities > Fächergruppe 2: Archäologie, Altertumskunde und Kulturen des Mittelmeerraums > Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte > Abteilung D - Forschungsstelle Afrika |
| Subjects: | History of ancient world |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| URI: | http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/52908 |
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5713-278XDownloads
Downloads per month over past year
Altmetric
Export
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |