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Dog or its master ? The scientific study of human or canine coprolites from the prehistoric pile-dwelling site of Stare gmajne, Slovenia

Description

Sixteen dog or human faeces from the Late Neolithic (Eneolithic) pile-dwelling site Stare gmajne in Slovenia were found in 2007 where a 15 m2 trench was excavated. They were preserved by waterlogging and are stored in a refrigerator (e.g. Fig. 1). One piece of fossil excrement that was very similar in shape and structure to those from the Stare gmajne site was found at Črnelnik, another Late Neolithic site in Ljubljansko barje. It has already been analysed and it contained many fish head bones and teeth together with some plant macroremains (Velušček et al. 2018, 25-26 in Tolar & Galik 2019). As the vertebrae were absent from the coprolite from the Črnelnik site, we believe that we are dealing with an individual that had only eaten fish heads. The absence of plant macroremains (except individual seeds of flax and blackberries) additionally convinced us that this is most probably dog excrement.


Fig. 1: An example of the sample with a) 5 dog/human coprolites from the Stare gmajne site (2007, b) a sample of corpolite from the pile-dwelling Črnelnik (2017) and c) Stare gmajne (excavations 2021).

The main aim of this project is to interdisciplinarly analyse each of the pieces of excrement and first of all to determine whether they are likely to be of canine or human origin and to get different kind of information that such finds offer us. The next step is to do a further small-scale excavation close to where majority of coprolites were found, which will enlarge the research area as well as the research material (archaeological and archaeobiological, including possibly newly discovered coprolites).

Plant and/or animal macrofossil content in the faeces (as well as in the cultural layer) will confirm the daily diet of the producers. Therefore, beside the archaeobotanist, an archaeozoologist, especially an expert in bird and fish bones will also have to be involved in this project. Partners from the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI) at Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), Vienna and from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Maribor will analyse possible fish and bird remains. Possible mammal and plant remains will be analysed by the leader partner of this project, the Institute of Archaeology at the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Art (ZRC SAZU), Ljubljana. Pollen analysis of the coprolites will be used to provide additional information on seasonal site occupation. The presence of ancient gastrointestinal parasites will be studied at the Chrono-Environment Laboratory at the University Bourgogne Franche-Comte, Besançon in France, which is the third partner of the project. This study will give information about the health of the individuals and about the origin of the faeces, either dog or human. In addition, extraction and multiplication of mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) sequences, and the analyses of biomarkers will be performed on some of the best preserved coprolites. Genetic research will be done by the fourth partner, Faculty of Mathematics, Science and Information Technology at the University of Primorska, Slovenia. If successful, the relationship between the coprolites will be determined. The analyses of biomarkers will take place within the framework of Austrian part of the project, and it will be held at the Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics, Vienna University of Technology. Chemical analyses of the presence of certain biomarkers (such as lipids, steroids, terpenoids, ketones, etc.) in coprolites provide information on predominantly vegetarian or carnivore individuals. To complete the multidisciplinary investigation of the coprolites, C14 dating of some of them will be necessary as well. The organic content of terrestial plant or animal macroremains preserved in waterlogged coprolites will be send to one of the specialized radiocarbon laboratories, like in Poznan or Beta Analytic in the USA.

The proposed small scale re-excavation at the Stare gmajne site is important, not only for the possibility of obtaining some more coprolites that are evidently very abundant at that site. Other archaeological and archaeobiological investigations will also be carried out at the same time. The proposed project is also important as a rescue excavation of cultural heritage of one of the most important pile-dwelling site in Slovenia.


Fig. 2: The level of preservation of flax and poppy seeds / fruits at the Stara gmajna pile-dwelling has visibly deteriorated in 14 years: 1) in 2007: a) flax residues; b) poppy seeds and 2) in 2021: a) flax residues; b) poppy seeds.

Project team


Project Stages

First we preliminarily multidisciplinary analyse six excrements (coprolites) from Stare gmajne site, which were found during excavations in 2007. Palynological, palaeoparasitological, archaeobotanical, archaeozoological analyses and an attempt to isolate mt-DNA will be performed. The results will be published in the SCI journal.

Phase 1

In the first year, we carried out small excavation at the endangered Stare gmajne site. We discovered a new - fresh coprolites. New, freshly waterlogged preserved material is certainly be more suitable for the detailed research, especially for DNA and analysis of biomarkers.


Stare gmajne, finds from the 2021 trench (bow, corpolite and wooden rings)

Based on the experience of the investigation on “old” excrements, analyses of long-term research on possible new excrements began, i.e.: analysis of biomarkers, led by Prof Erwin Rosenberg, isolation and possible DNA amplification, led by Prof Elena Bužan, pollen analysis, which will be led by Assist. Prof Maja Andrič and the analysis of palaeoparasites, which will be led by Prof Matthieu Le Bailly.

Phase 2

With a delay of a year, macro-analyses will be carried out, which will finally demolish the excrements. By gentle wet flotation method with 0.056 mm mesh-sized sieve, each excrement will be sieved separately and all macro-remains, plant and animal, will be sorted out and collected. Digested species and body parts will be identified and quantified by Assist. Prof Tjaša Tolar for plant remains, Assist. Prof Borut Toškan for mammal remains, Prof Franc Janžekovič for bird remains and Assist. Prof Alfred Galik and his colleagues for the fish and possible amphibians and reptiles remains.

Phase 3

The third project year will be dedicated to the joint interpretation of the obtained results and preparation of the publication in the SCI journal.


Periodical plan of the research project in years 2020–2023


Results

  • TOLAR, Tjaša, PODOBNIK, Tilen, GALIK, Alfred, CAF, Nina, LE BAILLY, Matthieu, ROSENBERG, Erwin, BUŽAN, Elena, ZVER, Lars. Le chien ou son maître? : recherche interdisciplinaire sur les coprolithes de lʼhabitat palafittique néolithique de Stare Gmajne en Slovénie ; The dog or its master? : further interdisciplinary research on coprolites from Site Stare Gmajne Eneollithic pile dwelling site in Slovenia. V: 44e rencontres internationales d'archéologie et d'histoire de Nice Côte d'Azur : fumier, bouses et guano = dung, manure and guano : ordures ou or brun ? : garbage or brown gold? : 15 – 17 octobre 2024 Auditorium du Parc Phoenix, Nice. Nice: CEPAM, Cultures et environnements, préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen-âge, 2024. Str. 40. https://www.cepam.cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/fascicule-1.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 213046019]
  • TOLAR, Tjaša, GALIK, Alfred, LE BAILLY, Matthieu, The dog or its master? Further interdisciplinary research on coprolites from Site Stare Gmajne Eneollithic pile dwelling site in Slovenia. In: Persisting with change : abstract book : 30th EAA Annual Meeting, Rome, Italy, 28th – 31st August 2024. Rome: European Association of Archaeologists, 2024, 1319. https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA2024/Programme.aspx?WebsiteKey=20b5538d-68f8-4056-9596-1ae1ce0ead47&hkey=fe6595a9-39e9-47f1-8159-520091f89dfa&Program=3#:~:text=EAA%202023%20Abstract%20Book%20%2D%20online%20(23%20August)).
  • TOLAR, Tjaša, MATIKA; Dolores, Archaeobotanical analysis of the judgement samples from research of Stare gmajne, an Eneolithic pile-dwelling site: mosses, vessel contents and the analysis of the wooden artefacts / Arheobotanična analiza po presoji odvzetih vzorcev z eneolitskega kolišča Stare gmajne: mah, polnila posod in leseni artefakti. − Arheološki vestnik 75, 2024, 411–440.
  • LEGHISSA, Elena, ANDRIČ, Maja, TOLAR, Tjaša, TOŠKAN, Borut, VELUŠČEK, Anton, Obujena koliščarska dediščina na Ljubljanskem barju. – Arheo 39, Srečanja tisočletij / The convergence of millennia, Maribor, 203–207.
  • TOLAR, Tjaša, CAF, Nina, LE BAILLY, Matthieu. The dog or its master? : interdisciplinary study on coprolite from the Pile-Dwelling Site Stare Gmajne. V: KOPRIVNIK, Vesna (ur.), SALECL, Dunja (ur.). Srečanja tisočletij = The convergence of millennia : Museoeurope : the collected volume of the symposium 19.-21. 10. 2023 : [= Zbornik mednarodnega simpozija 19.–21. 10. 2023]. Maribor: Pokrajinski muzej: = Regional Museum, 2023. Str. 78-91, ilustr. Zbirka Museoeurope, 8. ISBN 978-961-94532-7-8.  [COBISS.SI-ID 171767555]
  • LEGHISSA, Elena, ANDRIČ, Maja, TOLAR, Tjaša, TOŠKAN, Borut, VELUŠČEK, Anton. Oživljanje koliščarske dediščine na Ljubljanskem barju. Palafittes : news. 2023, edition 04, str. 102-107, fotogr. [COBISS.SI-ID 182025475]
  • LEGHISSA, Elena, ANDRIČ, Maja, TOLAR, Tjaša, TOŠKAN, Borut, VELUŠČEK, Anton, Reviving the heritage of pile dwellings in the Ljubljansko barje: reconstruction of a pile-dwelling settlement from the 3rd millennium BC. – Museoeurope 8, Srečanja tisočletij / The convergence of millennia, Maribor, 333–343.
  • VELUŠČEK, A., HORJAK ŠUŠTARŠIČ, M., TOLAR, T., TOŠKAN, B., MERELA, M., ČUFAR, K. 2023, Verd – novoodkrito kolišče iz 5. tisočletja pr. Kr. na Ljubljanskem barju /Verd – newly discovered pile-dwelling from the 5th millennium BC in Ljubljansko barje, Slovenia. − Les/Wood, 72(2), 18−36. https://doi.org/10.26614/les-wood.2023.v72n02a01.
  • LEGHISSA, Elena, VELUŠČEK, Anton (avtor, vodja projekta), TOLAR, Tjaša. Arheološke raziskave na najdišču Stare gmajne : prazgodovinsko kolišče : prvo strokovno poročilo o raziskavi 21-0293. Ljubljana: Inštitut za arheologijo ZRC SAZU, 2022. 38 str., 2 str. pril, fotogr., zvd. graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 97774851]
  • ČUFAR, Katarina, VELUŠČEK, Anton, TOLAR, Tjaša, LEGHISSA, Elena, BALZANO, Angela, MERELA, Maks. Ljubljansko barje (Slovenia) a drying wetland with endangered archaeological remains of prehistoric pile dwellings : WOODPDLAKE workshop Lakes, natural and cultural heritage affected by climate changes, Viterbo 27 September2022 : v okviru projekta Archaeological wooden pile-dwelling in Mediterranean European lakes: strategies for their exploitation, monitoring and conservation. [COBISS.SI-ID 129378563]
  • EGHISSA, Elena, ANDRIČ, Maja, TOLAR, Tjaša, TOŠKAN, Borut, VELUŠČEK, Anton. Morostig – o rekonstrukciji koliščarske naselbine iz 3. tisočletja pr. Kr. V: GASPARI, Andrej (ur.), NOVAKOVIĆ, Predrag (ur.). Arheologija v letu 2022 : dediščina za javnost : zbornik povzetkov : strokovno srečanje Slovenskega arheološkega društva 23. in 24. junija 2023 v Atriju ZRC SAZU v Ljubljani. Ljubljana: Slovensko arheološko društvo, cop. 2023. Str. 60. [COBISS.SI-ID 181441027]
  • TOLAR, Tjaša, GALIK, Alfred, LE BAILLY, Matthieu, DUFOUR, Benjamin, CAF, Nina, TOŠKAN, Borut, BUŽAN, Elena, ZVER, Lars, JANŽEKOVIČ, Franc, VELUŠČEK, Anton 2021. Multi-proxy analysis of waterlogged preserved Late Neolithic canine excrements. − Vegetation history and archaeobotany 30, no. 3, 2021, 107−118. DOI: 10.1007/s00334-020-00805-y.
  • VELUŠČEK, Anton, LEGHISSA, Elena, TOLAR, Tjaša, Stare gmajne pri Verdu. Arheološko najdišče presežkov. − Palafittes, Pfahlbauten, Palafitte, Kolišča, Pile Dwellings, News 21, 2021, 100−105.
  • TOLAR Tjaša, GALIK Alfred, A Study of Dog Coprolite from Late Neolithic Pile-Dwelling Site in Slovenia. − Archaeological Discovery 7, 2019, 20−29.

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Unpublished conference contributions

  • TOLAR, Tjaša, PODOBNIK, Tilen, GALIK, Alfred, CAF, Nina, LE BAILLY, Matthieu, ROSENBERG, Erwin, BUŽAN, Elena, ZVER, Lars. Le chien ou son maître? : recherche interdisciplinaire sur les coprolithes de lʼhabitat palafittique néolithique de Stare Gmajne en Slovénie ; The dog or its master? : further interdisciplinary research on coprolites from Site Stare Gmajne Eneollithic pile dwelling site in Slovenia. V: 44e rencontres internationales d'archéologie et d'histoire de Nice Côte d'Azur : fumier, bouses et guano = dung, manure and guano : ordures ou or brun ? : garbage or brown gold? : 15 – 17 octobre 2024 Auditorium du Parc Phoenix, Nice. Nice: CEPAM, Cultures et environnements, préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen-âge, 2024. Str. 40. https://www.cepam.cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/fascicule-1.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 213046019]
  • GALIK, Alfred, TOLAR, Tjaša. Food of dogs from Late Neolithic pile-dwelling sites in Slovenia. V: Program & abstracts : 20th Meeting of the ICAZ Fish Remains Working Group, August 26-30, 2019, Portland State University Campus Portland, Oregon USA. 20th Meeting of the ICAZ Fish Remains Working Group, August 26-30, 2019, Portland State University Campus Portland, Oregon USA. Portland (Oregon): State University, 2019. Str. [15-16]. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b1591ab4611a05860198ece/t/5d570a65d99ab200010c0500/1565985390539/FRWG_2019_Draft_August+16.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 44983597]
  • TOLAR, Tjaša, GALIK, Alfred, ROSENBERG, Erwin, LE BAILLY, Matthieu, CAF, Nina, ANDRIČ, Maja, TOŠKAN, Borut, BUŽAN, Elena, ZVER, Lars, JANŽEKOVIČ, Franc, VELUŠČEK, Anton. What infos can we get from the analyses of the Late Neolithic dog (Canis familiaris) excrements?. V: Program and abstracts, 18th Conference of the International Workgroup for Palaeoethnobotany - IWGP 2019, Lecce 3rd - 8th June 2019. Lecce: Università del Salento. 2019, str. 113. http://siba-ese.unisalento.it/index.php/iwgp/article/view/20556/17419. [COBISS.SI-ID 44760877]
  • TOLAR, Tjaša. Koprolites and fish bones from the Ljubljansko barje in Slovenia : the archaeological and archaeobotanical context : e-predavanje po videopovezavi, ICAZ FRWG Meeting XXI, org. International Council of Archaeozoology Fish Remains Working Group (AUT), 23. avg. 2021. [COBISS.SI-ID 75062531]
  • TOLAR, T., CAF, N., LE BAILLY, M., The dog or its master? An interdisciplinary study on coprolites from the pile-dwelling site Stare gmajne, MuseoEurope 2023, Maribor.

Research Project