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

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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: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Bleasdale, MadeleineUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Wotzka, Hans-PeterUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-5713-278XUNSPECIFIED
Eichhorn, BarbaraUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Mercader, JulioUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Styring, AmyUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Zech, JanaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Soto, MariaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Inwood, JamieUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Clarke, SiobhanUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Marzo, SaraUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Fieldler, BiancaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Linseele, VeerleUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Boivin, NicoleUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Roberts, PatrickUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-529088
DOI: 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

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