Dogs, divers, deer and diet. Stable isotope results from Star Carr and a response to Dark

• Published in: Journal of Archaeological Science
• Main Authors: Schulting, R, Richards, M
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2016
• Subjects: Archeology; Carr; Brent goose
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2008.09.035; https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:fc6dd08c-804d-49b8-a284-b381fdde7ab9

We here respond to Dark's [Dark, P., 2003. Dogs, a crane (not duck) and diet at Star Carr: a response to Schulting and Richards. Journal of Archaeological Science 30, 1353-1356] criticisms of our previous paper [Schulting, R. J., Richards, M. P., 2002. Dogs, ducks, deer and diet: a reappraisal of the stable isotope evidence on early domestic dogs from the Vale of Pickering, north-east England. Journal of Archaeological Science, 29, 327-333] in which we supported the previous interpretation of stable isotope data from the Seamer Carr dog [Clutton-Brock, J., Noe-Nygaard, N., 1990. New osteological and C-isotope evidence on Mesolithic dogs: companions to hunters and fishers at Star Carr, Seamer Carr and Kongemose. Journal of Archaeological Science, 17, 643-653] as indicating a marine-influenced diet. Additional isotopic data are presented on fauna from Star Carr, most importantly from two piscivorous diving birds. These new data further support the original contention that marine protein is the most likely source of the elevated carbon and nitrogen isotope values seen in the Seamer Carr dog. In addition, cutmarks on the humerus of a Brent goose, and the presence of an additional element (right femur) attributable to the previously known adult dog from Star Carr, are noted for the first time. Two new AMS determinations are presented for Star Carr, placing an adult dog in the period 9680 ± 55 BP (9270-8840 cal BC) and a subadult dog somewhat later at 9342 ± 41 BP (8735-8474 cal BC). Unlike Seamer Carr, both dogs show entirely terrestrial (non-marine) diets.