THE QUESTION

Some Neolithic mortality profiles exhibit a high representation of young bovines. This mortality peak might include young males maintained alive for milk exploitation and slaughtered at the end of the lactation period, which would also coincide with the entrance into the bad season.

Bercy : bovines mortality profile in Chasséen context (MNI:61) (Balasse et al., 2000).

PRINCIPLE

Showing that these young bovines were slaughtered at weaning time would strengthen this hypothesis. This was attempted through the analysis of the collagen nitrogen isotope composition (d15N).

As long as he is suckling, the young mammal is one step higher in the trophic chain than adults from its population. This is reflected in the synthesis of 15N-enriched collagen. Weaning is therefore reflected in a decrease in collagen d15N value.

APPLICATION

A study was performed on bovine mandibles from Bercy (Paris, Chasséen), which showed that on that site, the mortality peak observed in young bovines occurs precisely at weaning age, which would reinforce the hypothesis of a post-lactation slaughter linked to milk exploitation. Milk exploitation is suggested by other pieces of evidence at that site.

Bovine mortality profile at Bercy (d’après Balasse et al., 2000).

Results from the isotope analysis suggest that the slaughtering peak occurred at weaning time.

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

 Balasse M., Bocherens H., Tresset A., Mariotti A. & Vigne J.-D. (1997) Emergence de la production laitière au Néolithique? Contribution de l’analyse isotopique d’ossements de bovins archéologiques, Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences Paris, Sciences de la Terre et des planètes 325 : 1005-1010.

 Balasse M., Bocherens H. & Mariotti A. (1999) Intra-bone variability of collagen and apatite used as evidence of a change of diet. Journal of Archaeological Science 26 : 593-598.

 Balasse M., Tresset A., Bocherens H., Mariotti A. & Vigne J.-D. (2000) Un abattage "post-lactation" sur des bovins domestiques néolithiques. Etude isotopique des restes osseux du site de Bercy (Paris, France). Ibex J. Mt Ecol., 5 - Anthropozoologica 31 : 39-48.

and also :

 Balasse M., Bocherens H., Mariotti A. & Ambrose S.H. (2001) Detection of dietary changes by intra-tooth carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis : an experimental study of dentine collagen of cattle (Bos taurus). Journal of Archaeological Science 28 : 235-245.

 Balasse M. & Tresset A. (2002) Early weaning of Neolithic domestic cattle (Bercy, France) revealed by intra-tooth variation in nitrogen isotope ratios. Journal of Archaeological Science 29 : 853-859.

 Balasse M. (2003) Keeping the young alive to stimulate milk production ? Differences between cattle and small stock. Anthropozoologica 37 : 3-10.