Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Kate H. Britton; Sarah Pederzani; Lutz Kindler; Wil Roebroeks; Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser; Michael P. Richards; Thomas Tütken

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029

Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Kate H. Britton^* (Corresponding Author), Sarah Pederzani, Lutz Kindler, Wil Roebroeks, Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser, Michael P. Richards, Thomas Tütken

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Here we present phosphate oxygen isotope (δ 18OPO4) data from horse (Equus sp.) tooth enamel (bioapatite) from the early Eemian and early Weichselian find levels at the archaeological site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany. Based on the relationship between δ18OPO4 of bioapatite, body water, local precipitation and air temperature, these data are used to reconstruct palaeoclimatic conditions contemporary to the different phases of Neanderthal activity at the site. Bulk enamel samples representing one year of growth were taken from horse teeth from early Eemian (NN2/2b [∼121 ± 5 ka], and NN2/1c) and early Weichselian (NN2/0; ∼93 ± 7 ka) find levels, and δ18OPO4 values were then utilised to calculate δ18O of local environmental water and mean annual air temperature (MATs) during these phases of MIS5. Results indicate that during the early Eemian MAT was ∼9 °C, with some evidence of variability through time. Although ∼3 °C lower, the calculated early Weichselian MAT exceeds that indicated by other local and regional climate proxy datasets, suggesting that Neanderthal activity may have coincided with more ameliorate phases of the early Weichselian in this area.

Original language	English
Article number	106029
Number of pages	13
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	226
Early online date	8 Nov 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029
Publication status	Published - 15 Dec 2019

Bibliographical note

We thank Annabell Reiner (MPI-EVA) for technical and practical support with preparation of samples and Bernd Steinhilber for the oxygen isotope measurements of the silver phosphate samples at the Institut für Geowissenschaften (Universität Tübingen); Thanks to the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Landesmuseum Sachsen-Anhalt in Halle for providing samples; and to Geoff Smith (RGZM Monrepos and MPI-EVA) for comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Financial support for the Neumark-Nord 2 excavations was provided by the Lausitzer Mitteldeutsche Braunkohlengesellschaft mbH, the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt (Harald Meller, Susanne Friederich), the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz, the Leids Universiteits Fonds “Campagne voor Leiden” program and the NetherlandsOrganization for Scientific Research (N.W.O.). The isotope research was funded by the Max Planck Institute and a Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst Junior Research Grant to KB (ref: A0970923). Thanks also to the University of Aberdeen, and The Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2017-410) for financial and professional support during this project and preparation of the manuscript. TT acknowledges funding by the German National Science foundation in the framework of the Emmy Noether Program (DFG grant TU 148/2-1 “Bone Geochemistry”).

Keywords

Pleistocene
Paleoclimatology
Europe
Stable isotopes
Bioapatite
Phosphate
Neanderthal
Last Interglacial
Interstadial

UN SDGs

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© 2019. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Accepted author manuscript, 1.01 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Kate Britton
- School of Geosciences, Archaeology - Personal Chair
Person: Academic

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Britton, K. H., Pederzani, S., Kindler, L., Roebroeks, W., Gaudzinski-Windheuser, S., Richards, M. P., & Tütken, T. (2019). Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Quaternary Science Reviews, 226, Article 106029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029

Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. / Britton, Kate H. (Corresponding Author); Pederzani, Sarah; Kindler, Lutz et al.
In: Quaternary Science Reviews, Vol. 226, 106029, 15.12.2019.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Britton, KH, Pederzani, S, Kindler, L, Roebroeks, W, Gaudzinski-Windheuser, S, Richards, MP & Tütken, T 2019, 'Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany', Quaternary Science Reviews, vol. 226, 106029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029

Britton KH, Pederzani S, Kindler L, Roebroeks W, Gaudzinski-Windheuser S, Richards MP et al. Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Quaternary Science Reviews. 2019 Dec 15;226:106029. Epub 2019 Nov 8. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029

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title = "Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany",

abstract = "Here we present phosphate oxygen isotope (δ 18OPO4) data from horse (Equus sp.) tooth enamel (bioapatite) from the early Eemian and early Weichselian find levels at the archaeological site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany. Based on the relationship between δ18OPO4 of bioapatite, body water, local precipitation and air temperature, these data are used to reconstruct palaeoclimatic conditions contemporary to the different phases of Neanderthal activity at the site. Bulk enamel samples representing one year of growth were taken from horse teeth from early Eemian (NN2/2b [∼121 ± 5 ka], and NN2/1c) and early Weichselian (NN2/0; ∼93 ± 7 ka) find levels, and δ18OPO4 values were then utilised to calculate δ18O of local environmental water and mean annual air temperature (MATs) during these phases of MIS5. Results indicate that during the early Eemian MAT was ∼9 °C, with some evidence of variability through time. Although ∼3 °C lower, the calculated early Weichselian MAT exceeds that indicated by other local and regional climate proxy datasets, suggesting that Neanderthal activity may have coincided with more ameliorate phases of the early Weichselian in this area.",

keywords = "Pleistocene, Paleoclimatology, Europe, Stable isotopes, Bioapatite, Phosphate, Neanderthal, Last Interglacial, Interstadial",

author = "Britton, {Kate H.} and Sarah Pederzani and Lutz Kindler and Wil Roebroeks and Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser and Richards, {Michael P.} and Thomas T{\"u}tken",

note = "We thank Annabell Reiner (MPI-EVA) for technical and practical support with preparation of samples and Bernd Steinhilber for the oxygen isotope measurements of the silver phosphate samples at the Institut f{\"u}r Geowissenschaften (Universit{\"a}t T{\"u}bingen); Thanks to the Landesamt f{\"u}r Denkmalpflege und Arch{\"a}ologie, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Landesmuseum Sachsen-Anhalt in Halle for providing samples; and to Geoff Smith (RGZM Monrepos and MPI-EVA) for comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Financial support for the Neumark-Nord 2 excavations was provided by the Lausitzer Mitteldeutsche Braunkohlengesellschaft mbH, the Landesamt f{\"u}r Denkmalpflege und Arch{\"a}ologie Sachsen-Anhalt (Harald Meller, Susanne Friederich), the R{\"o}misch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz, the Leids Universiteits Fonds “Campagne voor Leiden” program and the NetherlandsOrganization for Scientific Research (N.W.O.). The isotope research was funded by the Max Planck Institute and a Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst Junior Research Grant to KB (ref: A0970923). Thanks also to the University of Aberdeen, and The Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2017-410) for financial and professional support during this project and preparation of the manuscript. TT acknowledges funding by the German National Science foundation in the framework of the Emmy Noether Program (DFG grant TU 148/2-1 “Bone Geochemistry”).",

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month = dec,

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doi = "10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029",

language = "English",

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journal = "Quaternary Science Reviews",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

AU - Britton, Kate H.

AU - Pederzani, Sarah

AU - Kindler, Lutz

AU - Roebroeks, Wil

AU - Gaudzinski-Windheuser, Sabine

AU - Richards, Michael P.

AU - Tütken, Thomas

N1 - We thank Annabell Reiner (MPI-EVA) for technical and practical support with preparation of samples and Bernd Steinhilber for the oxygen isotope measurements of the silver phosphate samples at the Institut für Geowissenschaften (Universität Tübingen); Thanks to the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie, Sachsen-Anhalt, and Landesmuseum Sachsen-Anhalt in Halle for providing samples; and to Geoff Smith (RGZM Monrepos and MPI-EVA) for comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Financial support for the Neumark-Nord 2 excavations was provided by the Lausitzer Mitteldeutsche Braunkohlengesellschaft mbH, the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt (Harald Meller, Susanne Friederich), the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz, the Leids Universiteits Fonds “Campagne voor Leiden” program and the NetherlandsOrganization for Scientific Research (N.W.O.). The isotope research was funded by the Max Planck Institute and a Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst Junior Research Grant to KB (ref: A0970923). Thanks also to the University of Aberdeen, and The Leverhulme Trust (RPG-2017-410) for financial and professional support during this project and preparation of the manuscript. TT acknowledges funding by the German National Science foundation in the framework of the Emmy Noether Program (DFG grant TU 148/2-1 “Bone Geochemistry”).

PY - 2019/12/15

Y1 - 2019/12/15

N2 - Here we present phosphate oxygen isotope (δ 18OPO4) data from horse (Equus sp.) tooth enamel (bioapatite) from the early Eemian and early Weichselian find levels at the archaeological site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany. Based on the relationship between δ18OPO4 of bioapatite, body water, local precipitation and air temperature, these data are used to reconstruct palaeoclimatic conditions contemporary to the different phases of Neanderthal activity at the site. Bulk enamel samples representing one year of growth were taken from horse teeth from early Eemian (NN2/2b [∼121 ± 5 ka], and NN2/1c) and early Weichselian (NN2/0; ∼93 ± 7 ka) find levels, and δ18OPO4 values were then utilised to calculate δ18O of local environmental water and mean annual air temperature (MATs) during these phases of MIS5. Results indicate that during the early Eemian MAT was ∼9 °C, with some evidence of variability through time. Although ∼3 °C lower, the calculated early Weichselian MAT exceeds that indicated by other local and regional climate proxy datasets, suggesting that Neanderthal activity may have coincided with more ameliorate phases of the early Weichselian in this area.

AB - Here we present phosphate oxygen isotope (δ 18OPO4) data from horse (Equus sp.) tooth enamel (bioapatite) from the early Eemian and early Weichselian find levels at the archaeological site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany. Based on the relationship between δ18OPO4 of bioapatite, body water, local precipitation and air temperature, these data are used to reconstruct palaeoclimatic conditions contemporary to the different phases of Neanderthal activity at the site. Bulk enamel samples representing one year of growth were taken from horse teeth from early Eemian (NN2/2b [∼121 ± 5 ka], and NN2/1c) and early Weichselian (NN2/0; ∼93 ± 7 ka) find levels, and δ18OPO4 values were then utilised to calculate δ18O of local environmental water and mean annual air temperature (MATs) during these phases of MIS5. Results indicate that during the early Eemian MAT was ∼9 °C, with some evidence of variability through time. Although ∼3 °C lower, the calculated early Weichselian MAT exceeds that indicated by other local and regional climate proxy datasets, suggesting that Neanderthal activity may have coincided with more ameliorate phases of the early Weichselian in this area.

KW - Pleistocene

KW - Paleoclimatology

KW - Europe

KW - Stable isotopes

KW - Bioapatite

KW - Phosphate

KW - Neanderthal

KW - Last Interglacial

KW - Interstadial

U2 - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029

DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.106029

M3 - Article

SN - 0277-3791

VL - 226

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

JF - Quaternary Science Reviews

M1 - 106029

ER -

Oxygen isotope analyses of Equus teeth evidences early Eemian and early Weichselian palaeotemperatures at the Middle Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Kate Britton

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