Auroch, Cattle & Elm
Noe-Nygaard N. , T.D. Price & S.U. Hede. (2005)
"Diet of aurochs and early cattle in southern Scandinavia:
evidence from 15N and 13C stable isotopes"
Journal of archaeological science 32(6):855 - 871
http://tinyurl.com/bcqhk
Abstract
" Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from 14C
dated bones of early Atlantic aurochs (Bos
primigenius Bojanus) and late Atlantic first domestic
cattle (Bos taurus Linnaeus) in eastern Denmark and
southern Sweden are significantly different and
provide information on the origin and feeding
strategies of the two species.
Radiocarbon dates generally divide the bone material
of aurochs and domestic cattle in three groups:
aurochs older than 4000 cal yr BP, an older group of
domestic cattle around 4000 cal yr BP, and a
younger, less well-defined group of domestic cattle
starting at around 3500 cal yr BP.
The older domestic cattle are represented mainly by
fragmentary bones left over from meals, and
deposited in lakes at the vicinity of the settlement
areas. Bones of the younger domestic cattle group
occur both as settlement debris and as single
articulated skeletons in bogs, commonly in
association with different types of clay pots.
The latter type of finds suggests that sacrifice of
domestic cattle began at this time.
The dating of the early domestic cattle further
indicates that they were contemporaneous with or
slightly younger than the elm decline, which occurred
shortly after 4000 cal yr BC on the Danish island of
Sjælland.
Our results indicate a sudden rapid introduction of
domestic cattle into Denmark, heralding the
introduction of agriculture and there is no evidence
for leaf foddering or domestication of aurochs. A
combination of several natural events may have
created the necessary open land, providing the
grazing areas for the imported cattle. "
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Note on Elm Decline
" The Elm Decline is probably the most studied, best
dated and least understood event of the Flandrian.
It is manifest as a decline in elm pollen values by
about 50% which occured at around 5200 BP.
The Elm Decline was broadly synchronous over much
of north-west Europe and in Britain is sometimes
followed by the first pollen evidence of Neolithic
agricultural activity "
Robinson, M.A. (2000). "Coleopteran evidence for the
Elm Decline, Neolithic activity in woodland, clearance
and the use of the landscape."
In: A.S. Fairbairn. "Plants in Neolithic Britain and beyond"
NSGS Papers 5. Oxbow Books, Oxford. pp 27-36.
(quote from p 30)
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