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

[摘要] Here we present phosphate oxygen isotope (delta O-18(pO4)) data from horse (Equus sp.) tooth enamel (bio-apatite) from early Eemian and early Weichselian find levels at the archaeological site of Neumark-Nord 2, Germany. Based on the relationship between delta O-18(pO4) 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 (similar to 121 +/- 5 ka], and NN2/1c) and early Weich-selian (NN2/0; similar to 93 +/- 7 ka) find levels, and delta O-18(pO4) values were then utilised to calculate delta O-18 of local environmental water and mean annual air temperatures (MATS) during these phases of MISS. Results indicate that during the early Eemian MAT was similar to 9 degrees C, with some evidence of variability through time. Although similar to 3 degrees 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. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[发布日期] 2019-12-15

[关键词] Pleistocene;Palaeoclimatology;Europe;Stable isotopes;Bioapatite;Phosphate;Neanderthal;Last Interglacial;Interstadial