Neolithisation through bone: Stable isotope analysis of human and faunal remains from Syltholm II, Lolland, Denmark

Despite an increasing number of studies, the application of stable sulfur (delta 34S) isotope analysis to prehistoric bone collagen remains in its infancy. Conventionally, stable sulfur isotope compositions reflect coastal proximity and the interaction between humans and animals. Here, we undertook stable carbon (delta 13C), nitrogen (delta 15N) and sulfur (delta 34S) isotope analysis of human and faunal bone collagen. To understand the local environmental conditions as well as the husbandry regime employed by the first farmers, and investigate where the animals were raised or hunted in non-specific terms, we sampled 50 faunal, including wild and domestic taxa, and human remains from the Late Mesolithic to Early-Middle Neolithic (c. 4860-2310 cal BC) site of Syltholm II on the island of Lolland, Denmark. We show that the wild animals were obtained from multiple locations surrounding the prehistoric Syltholm Fjord, including forested and open landscapes, areas impacted by sea spray and saltmarshes. In contrast, the domestic taxa, especially cattle, were tightly managed for the majority of their lives based on their delta 13C and delta 15N isotope compositions, though were likely raised in multiple locations, including sea sprayaffected areas, saltmarshes and wetlands, based on their delta 34S values. The domestic dogs had a broad range of delta 13C, delta 15N and delta 34S values, reflecting the consumption of varying degrees of marine foodstuffs, including animals that were sulfide-derived. Overall, our results contribute to a growing body of evidence for possible cultural and animal husbandry duality during the earliest Neolithic in southern Scandinavia.