A 350 14C yr discrepancy between bone and tooth dates from the same grave at the Early Neolithic cemetery of Shamanka II, Lake Baikal, southern Siberia: reservoir effects or a misplaced mandible?
Date
2025-01
Authors
Schulting, Rick
Scharlotta, Ian
Lieverse, Angela
Jessup, Erin
Bronk Ramsey, Christopher
Bazaliiskii, Vladimir I
Weber, Andrzej
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Radiocarbon
ORCID
Type
Article
Degree Level
Abstract
A 350 14C yr discrepancy was found between dates on postcranial remains and mandibular teeth on what was thought to be the same individual from the Early Neolithic cemetery of Shamanka II, Lake Baikal. Stable nitrogen isotope results suggested a major shift in diet between childhood (when the teeth formed) and adulthood (represented by the postcrania), which could have resulted in different 14C ages through a freshwater reservoir effect. Subsequent additional dating on the mandible and postcranial elements, however, indicated that the mandible actually belonged to a different individual. More subtle reservoir effects can be seen on the sequentially forming teeth and mandible. The practice by prehistoric hunter-gatherers of Lake Baikal of re-opening graves and removing cranial elements has long been known, but this is the first evidence for the inclusion of a mandible from a separate individual, though whether it was intentional or incidental is uncertain. As well as providing new insights into mid-Holocene mortuary practices in the region, our findings raise a cautionary note for the examination of disturbed graves.
Description
Keywords
freshwater reservoir effects, hunter-gatherers, mid-Holocene, stable isotopes
Citation
Schulting, R. J., Scharlotta, I., Lieverse, A., Jessup, E., Bronk Ramsey, C., Bazaliiskii, V. I., & Weber, A. W. (2025). A 350 14C yr discrepancy between bone and tooth dates from the same grave at the Early Neolithic cemetery of Shamanka II, Lake Baikal, southern Siberia: reservoir effects or a misplaced mandible? Radiocarbon, 1–13. doi:10.1017/RDC.2024.125
Degree
Department
Program
Advisor
Committee
Part Of
item.page.relation.ispartofseries
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2024.125