Isotopes in prehistoric cattle teeth suggest a variety of herding strategies were used during the Neolithic

[rangerrebew]

Isotopes in prehistoric cattle teeth suggest a variety of herding strategies were used during the Neolithic
7/27/2017 06:00:00 PM

Isotopes in prehistoric cattle teeth suggest a variety of herding strategies were used during the Neolithic
Analysis of strontium isotopes in teeth from Neolithic cattle suggest that early Europeans used different specialized
herding strategies, according to a new study [Credit: University of Bristol]

To reconstruct cattle mobility and infer herding management, an international team of researchers – which included the University of Bristol - analysed strontium isotopes in 39 molars from 25 cattle in a Neolithic settlement in what is now Switzerland. Some of this work was carried out in the isotope laboratories of Bristol's School of Earth Sciences.

Read more at https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2017/07/isotopes-in-prehistoric-cattle-teeth.html#dFDOgwot8wcLv4g1.99

[SunkenCiv]

Wow, I wonder where these cattle have been hiding for the past 5000 years?  It takes about 30 months to reach slaughter weight, so by now they must be up to three million pounds each!

[SunkenCiv]

It's interesting -- perhaps this short-lived village was just the marketplace, or one or more locals weren't actually local when the sale day took place.  Oh, the whole thing led to social inequality, sez here:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2017/07/neolithic-cattle.page