Multi-Isotope Dataset of Human Enamel, Dentine, and Bone from Late Neolithic Legaire Sur, Spain.

Abstract

Legaire Sur (uplands of Álava region), is a recently (2020-21) excavated passage tomb (megalithic monument) that held a minimum number of 25 individuals. This dataset contains the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotope ratios of 18 individuals, from a multi-tissue sampling study (successional tooth enamel sampling, incremental dentine sampling, and bulk bone collagen sampling). 232 organic samples (δ13C & δ15N) were taken from 18 individuals, and 22 tooth enamel samples (δ13C, δ18O, 87Sr/86Sr, δ88Sr, [Sr]) were taken from 9 individuals. The results provide a high-resolution reconstruction of individual mobility, weaning, and dietary lifeways of those inhumed at the site. Isotope analyses suggest all individuals come from a similar, likely local, geological region, aside from one biological female who presents a notably different geographical birthplace, weaning, and dietary life history than the rest of the burial population. The results from Legaire Sur reveal the complexity of the Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic transition in north-central Iberia, categorising yet another separate socio-economic group with distinctive lifeways inhabiting the region

Keywords

• Sequential dentine sampling
• stable isotope analysis
• carbon
• Nitrogen: Oxygen
• strontium
• Neolithic
• Chalcolithic
• Spain
• Diet
• mobility
• Life histories