The place of millet in food globalization during Late Prehistory as evidenced by new bioarchaeological data from the Caucasus

Two millets, Panicum miliaceum and Setaria italica, were domesticated in northern China, around 6000 BC. Although its oldest evidence is in Asia, possible independent domestication of these species in the Caucasus has often been proposed. To verify this hypothesis, a multiproxy research program (Orimil) was designed to detect the first evidence of millet in this region. It included a critical review of the occurrence of archaeological millet in the Caucasus, up to Antiquity; isotopic analyses of human and animal bones and charred grains; and radiocarbon dating of millet grains from archaeological contexts dated from the Early Bronze Age (3500–2500 BC) to the 1st Century BC. The results show that these two cereals were cultivated during the Middle Bronze Age (MBA), around 2000–1800 BC, especially Setaria italica which is the most ancient millet found in Georgia. Isotopic analyses also show a significant enrichment in 13C in human and animal tissues, indicating an increasing C4 plants consumption at the same period. More broadly, our results assert that millet was not present in the Caucasus in the Neolithic period. Its arrival in the region, based on existing data in Eurasia, was from the south, without excluding a possible local domestication of Setaria italica

Dietary practices changes during the Bronze Age in the Southern Caucasus: Evidence of millet consumption using a multi-isotopic approach.

International audienc

Dietary practices changes during the Bronze Age in the Southern Caucasus: Evidence of millet consumption using a multi-isotopic approach.

International audienc

Dietary practices changes during the Bronze Age in the Southern Caucasus: Evidence of millet consumption using a multi-isotopic approach.

International audienc

. Modification des pratiques alimentaires au cours de l'âge du Bronze dans le Sud Caucase : Mise en évidence de la consommation de millet par une approche multi-isotopique.

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The main results of research on the Kuro-Araks culture in Georgia

The article presents the results of recent interdisciplinary studies about the Kura-Araxes culture in Georgi

Dietary practices, cultural and social identity in the Early Bronze Age Southern Caucasus : the case of the Kura-Araxes culture

Food and its interactions with the environmental, economic, social, and cultural spheres play an essential role in communities’ cultural identity. This theory has been verified by an analysis of the Kura-Araxes (KA) culture, characterised by original cultural developments, which spread in the South Caucasus around the middle of the fourth millennium. This research aims to study the variability of dietary choices at the individual and population levels by analysing stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (δ 13C, δ 15N). To monitor regional and diachronic changes in dietary patterns, we performed analysis on human, animal, and plant materials (n = 144) from eight KA highland and lowland sites in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia compared with data (n = 39) from Post-KA sites already published (Herrscher et al. 2016, 2018b). Isotopic data show no significant differences with altitude. The KA diet is characterised by higher consumption of herbivore meat than pork and higher barley consumption than wheat. No relationship with age at death, sex, and burial traits were observed, suggesting “equal” access to food among community members. Human low isotope variability shows persistence over KA’s entire duration (3500-2500 BC), while it is significantly different between KA and Post-KA subjects. The results confirm the homogeneity of KA communities’ food practices that reinforces the theory of a “strong cultural identity” of the KA populations

Dietary practices, cultural and social identity in the Early Bronze Age southern Caucasus: The case of the Kura-Araxes culture

Food and its interactions with the environmental, economic, social, and cultural spheres play an essential role in communities’ cultural identity. This theory has been verified by an analysis of the Kura-Araxes (KA) culture, characterised by original cultural developments, which spread in the South Caucasus around the middle of the fourth millennium. This research aims to study the variability of dietary choices at the individual and population levels by analysing stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C, δ15N). To monitor regional and diachronic changes in dietary patterns, we performed analysis on human, animal, and plant materials (n = 144) from eight KA highland and lowland sites in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia compared with data (n = 39) from Post-KA sites already published (Herrscher et al. 2016, 2018b). Isotopic data show no significant differences with altitude. The KA diet is characterised by higher consumption of herbivore meat than pork and higher barley consumption than wheat. No relationship with age at death, sex, and burial traits were observed, suggesting “equal” access to food among community members. Human low isotope variability shows persistence over KA’s entire duration (3500-2500 BC), while it is significantly different between KA and Post-KA subjects. The results confirm the homogeneity of KA communities’ food practices that reinforces the theory of a “strong cultural identity” of the KA populations

Dietary practices, cultural and social identity in the Early Bronze Age southern Caucasus: The case of the Kura-Araxes culture

International audienceFood and its interactions with the environmental, economic, social, and cultural spheres play an essential role in communities' cultural identity. This theory has been verified by an analysis of the Kura-Araxes (KA) culture, characterised by original cultural developments, which spread in the South Caucasus around the middle of the fourth millennium. This research aims to study the variability of dietary choices at the individual and population levels by analysing stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (δ 13 C, δ 15 N). To monitor regional and diachronic changes in dietary patterns, we performed analysis on human, animal, and plant materials (n = 144) from eight KA highland and lowland sites in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia compared with data (n = 39) from Post-KA sites already published (Herrscher et al. 2016, 2018b). Isotopic data show no significant differences with altitude. The KA diet is characterised by higher consumption of herbivore meat than pork and higher barley consumption than wheat. No relationship with age at death, sex, and burial traits were observed, suggesting "equal" access to food among community members. Human low isotope variability shows persistence over KA's entire duration (3500-2500 BC), while it is significantly different between KA and Post-KA subjects. The results confirm the homogeneity of KA communities' food practices that reinforces the theory of a "strong cultural identity" of the KA populationsL'alimentation et l'ensemble des interactions qu'elle entretient avec les sphères environnementale, économique, sociale et culturelle jouent un rôle important dans l'identité culturelle des communautés. Cette théorie a été vérifiée par une analyse de la culture Kuro-Araxe (KA), caractérisée par des développements culturels originaux, qui s'est répandue dans le Caucase du Sud vers le milieu du quatrième millénaire. Cette recherche vise à étudier la variabilité des choix alimentaires, aux niveaux individuel et populationnel, par l'analyse des isotopes stables du carbone et de l'azote (δ 13 C, δ 15 N). Afin de suivre les changements régionaux et diachroniques des modes alimentaires, des analyses ont été réalisées sur des matériaux humains, animaux et végétaux (n = 144) provenant de sites d'altitudes différentes, 8 en Géorgie, 2 en Arménie et 1 en Azerbaïdjan et comparées à des données (n = 39) provenant de 4 sites Post KA de la région déjà publiées (Herrscher et al. 2016, 2018b) Les données isotopiques ne montrent aucun changement significatif avec l'altitude. L'alimentation KA se caractérise par une plus grande consommation de viande d'herbivore que de porc et une plus grande consommation d'orge que de blé. Aucune relation avec l'âge au décès, le sexe et les traits funéraires n'a été observée, ce qui suggère un accès « égal » à la nourriture entre les membres des communautés. La variabilité isotopique humaine montre une persistance sur toute la durée du KA (3500-2500 avant J.-C.), tandis qu'elle est significativement différente entre les sujets KA et Post KA. Les résultats convergent pour confirmer une homogénéité des pratiques alimentaires des communautés KA qui renforce la théorie d'une « forte identité culturelle » des communautés KA