Article Dans Une Revue Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory Année : 2026

Forest Herding and Tree Foddering in Neolithic Europe: Comparing δ13C Values in Caprine Enamel with Archaeobotanical Evidence at Lake Shore Settlements in Switzerland and the French Jura

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Forest grazing and tree leaf foddering were once widespread in Europe. Stable carbon isotope analysis of faunal remains can help investigate the practice back to the Neolithic. The approach presupposes the empirical definition of a threshold δ 13 C value beyond which a forest component in diet is arguable. This objective can be attained in contexts where animals feeding on forest trees were demonstrated independently. We analyzed caprine teeth from the sites of Arbon-Bleiche 3 (34th century BCE, Switzerland), where forest fodder was directly evidenced from macroremains in caprine faeces; and from Clairvaux (39th–37th c. BCE) and Chalain (32nd–30th c. BCE; French Jura) where it was suggested from thousands of branches accumulated in the occupation layers. Sequential isotope analysis in caprine tooth enamel revealed δ 13 C values ≤ −14‰ at Clairvaux and Chalain, and ≤ −15‰ and down to −16.7‰ at Arbon during winter, the lowest recorded to date in Neolithic Europe. A more 13 C-depleted signal at Arbon, associated with significantly lower δ 18 O values, may reflect the abrupt cooler and wetter climatic event recorded at this time in the Lake Constance sediments, causing harsher winters and the need for complementary feed in the form of tree leaves, as well as a potential tree-line decline leading to a greater proximity of the fir forest. Inter-individual variability reflects adaptability of extensive herding systems subjected to environmental uncertainties. These results confirm that in these chronocultural contexts, forests were fully integrated into husbandry systems, shaping practices and animal behaviors, and potentially contributing to the reshaping of the landscape.

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Est complété par 10.48579/PRO/NDWAUM Jeu de données BALASSE, M., FIORILLO, D., & EMMANUEL, L. (2026). Forest herding and tree fodder in Neolithic Europe: comparing δ13C values in caprine enamel with archaeobotanical evidence at lake shore settlements in Switzerland and the French Jura. [Data set]. data.InDoRES. https://doi.org/10.48579/PRO/NDWAUM

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halshs-05560967 , version 1 (20-03-2026)

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Marie Balasse, Alexa Dufraisse, Laurent Emmanuel, Denis Fiorillo, Rose-Marie Arbogast, et al.. Forest Herding and Tree Foddering in Neolithic Europe: Comparing δ13C Values in Caprine Enamel with Archaeobotanical Evidence at Lake Shore Settlements in Switzerland and the French Jura. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2026, 33, pp.38. ⟨10.1007/s10816-026-09773-5⟩. ⟨halshs-05560967⟩
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