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Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers

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2015
roffet-salque2015.pdf (5.745Mb)
Authors
Roffet-Salque, Melanie
Regert, Martine
Evershed, Richard R.
Outram, Alan K.
Cramp, Lucy J. E.
Decavallas, Orestes
Dunne, Julie
Gerbault, Pascale
Mileto, Simona
Mirabaud, Sigrid
Paakkonen, Mirva
Smyth, Jessica
Soberl, Lucija
Whelton, Helen L.
Alday-Ruiz, Alfonso
Asplund, Henrik
Bartkowiak, Marta
Bayer-Niemeier, Eva
Belhouchet, Lotfi
Bernardini, Federico
Budja, Mihael
Cooney, Gabriel
Cubas, Miriam
Danaher, Ed M.
Diniz, Mariana
Domboroczki, Laszlo
Fabbri, Cristina
Gonzalez-Urquijo, Jesus E.
Guilaine, Jean
Hachi, Slimane
Hartwell, Barrie N.
Hofmann, Daniela
Hohle, Isabel
Ibanez, Juan J.
Karul, Necmi
Kherbouche, Farid
Kiely, Jacinta
Kotsakis, Kostas
Lueth, Friedrich
Mallory, James P.
Manen, Claire
Marciniak, Arkadiusz
Maurice-Chabard, Brigitte
McGonigle, Martin A.
Mulazzani, Simone
Ozdogan, Mehmet
Peric, Olga S.
Perić, Slaviša
Petrasch, Joerg
Petrequin, Anne-Marie
Petrequie, Pierre
Poensgen, Ulrike
Pollard, Joshua C.
Poplin, Francois
Radi, Giovanna
Stadler, Peter
Staeuble, Harald
Tasić, Nenad
Urem-Kotsou, Dushka
Vukovic, Jasna B.
Walsh, Fintan
Whittle, Alasdair
Wolfram, Sabine
Zapata-Pena, Lydia
Zoughlami, Jamel
Article (Published version)
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Abstract
The pressures on honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations, resulting from threats by modern pesticides, parasites, predators and diseases, have raised awareness of the economic importance and critical role this insect plays in agricultural societies across the globe. However, the association of humans with A. mellifera predates post-industrial-revolution agriculture, as evidenced by the widespread presence of ancient Egyptian bee iconography dating to the Old Kingdom (approximately 2400 BC)(1). There are also indications of Stone Age people harvesting bee products; for example, honey hunting is interpreted from rock art(2) in a prehistoric Holocene context and a beeswax find in a pre-agriculturalist site(3). However, when and where the regular association of A. mellifera with agriculturalists emerged is unknown(4). One of the major products of A. mellifera is beeswax, which is composed of a complex suite of lipids including n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and fatty acyl wax esters. The compos...ition is highly constant as it is determined genetically through the insect's biochemistry. Thus, the chemical 'fingerprint' of beeswax provides a reliable basis for detecting this commodity in organic residues preserved at archaeological sites, which we now use to trace the exploitation by humans of A. mellifera temporally and spatially. Here we present secure identifications of beeswax in lipid residues preserved in pottery vessels of Neolithic Old World farmers. The geographical range of bee product exploitation is traced in Neolithic Europe, the Near East and North Africa, providing the palaeoecological range of honeybees during prehistory. Temporally, we demonstrate that bee products were exploited continuously, and probably extensively in some regions, at least from the seventh millennium cal BC, likely fulfilling a variety of technological and cultural functions. The close association of A. mellifera with Neolithic farming communities dates to the early onset of agriculture and may provide evidence for the beginnings of a domestication process.

Keywords:
honeybee / Neolithic farmers
Source:
Nature, 2015, 527, 7577, 226-+
Publisher:
  • Nature Publishing Group, London
Funding / projects:
  • UK Natural Environment Research CouncilUK Research & Innovation (UKRI)Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) [R8/H10/63]
  • English Heritage
  • European Research CouncilEuropean Research Council (ERC)European Commission
  • Leverhulme TrustLeverhulme Trust
  • Ministere de la Culture et de la Communication
  • Ministere de l'Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche (ACI Jeunes Chercheurs)
  • Natural Environment Research CouncilUK Research & Innovation (UKRI)Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
  • Region PACARegion Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
  • Royal SocietyRoyal Society of LondonEuropean Commission
  • Wellcome TrustWellcome TrustEuropean Commission
  • NERCUK Research & Innovation (UKRI)Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) [NE/F021054/1] Funding Source: UKRI
  • Natural Environment Research CouncilUK Research & Innovation (UKRI)Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) [1257864, NE/F021054/1] Funding Source: researchfish

DOI: 10.1038/nature15757

ISSN: 0028-0836

PubMed: 26560301

WoS: 000364396700043

Scopus: 2-s2.0-84947077170
[ Google Scholar ]
110
84
URI
http://rai.ai.ac.rs/handle/123456789/241
Collections
  • Radovi istraživača / Researchers’ publications
Institution/Community
Археолошки институт / Institute of Archaeology
TY  - JOUR
AU  - Roffet-Salque, Melanie
AU  - Regert, Martine
AU  - Evershed, Richard R.
AU  - Outram, Alan K.
AU  - Cramp, Lucy J. E.
AU  - Decavallas, Orestes
AU  - Dunne, Julie
AU  - Gerbault, Pascale
AU  - Mileto, Simona
AU  - Mirabaud, Sigrid
AU  - Paakkonen, Mirva
AU  - Smyth, Jessica
AU  - Soberl, Lucija
AU  - Whelton, Helen L.
AU  - Alday-Ruiz, Alfonso
AU  - Asplund, Henrik
AU  - Bartkowiak, Marta
AU  - Bayer-Niemeier, Eva
AU  - Belhouchet, Lotfi
AU  - Bernardini, Federico
AU  - Budja, Mihael
AU  - Cooney, Gabriel
AU  - Cubas, Miriam
AU  - Danaher, Ed M.
AU  - Diniz, Mariana
AU  - Domboroczki, Laszlo
AU  - Fabbri, Cristina
AU  - Gonzalez-Urquijo, Jesus E.
AU  - Guilaine, Jean
AU  - Hachi, Slimane
AU  - Hartwell, Barrie N.
AU  - Hofmann, Daniela
AU  - Hohle, Isabel
AU  - Ibanez, Juan J.
AU  - Karul, Necmi
AU  - Kherbouche, Farid
AU  - Kiely, Jacinta
AU  - Kotsakis, Kostas
AU  - Lueth, Friedrich
AU  - Mallory, James P.
AU  - Manen, Claire
AU  - Marciniak, Arkadiusz
AU  - Maurice-Chabard, Brigitte
AU  - McGonigle, Martin A.
AU  - Mulazzani, Simone
AU  - Ozdogan, Mehmet
AU  - Peric, Olga S.
AU  - Perić, Slaviša
AU  - Petrasch, Joerg
AU  - Petrequin, Anne-Marie
AU  - Petrequie, Pierre
AU  - Poensgen, Ulrike
AU  - Pollard, Joshua C.
AU  - Poplin, Francois
AU  - Radi, Giovanna
AU  - Stadler, Peter
AU  - Staeuble, Harald
AU  - Tasić, Nenad
AU  - Urem-Kotsou, Dushka
AU  - Vukovic, Jasna B.
AU  - Walsh, Fintan
AU  - Whittle, Alasdair
AU  - Wolfram, Sabine
AU  - Zapata-Pena, Lydia
AU  - Zoughlami, Jamel
PY  - 2015
UR  - http://rai.ai.ac.rs/handle/123456789/241
AB  - The pressures on honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations, resulting from threats by modern pesticides, parasites, predators and diseases, have raised awareness of the economic importance and critical role this insect plays in agricultural societies across the globe. However, the association of humans with A. mellifera predates post-industrial-revolution agriculture, as evidenced by the widespread presence of ancient Egyptian bee iconography dating to the Old Kingdom (approximately 2400 BC)(1). There are also indications of Stone Age people harvesting bee products; for example, honey hunting is interpreted from rock art(2) in a prehistoric Holocene context and a beeswax find in a pre-agriculturalist site(3). However, when and where the regular association of A. mellifera with agriculturalists emerged is unknown(4). One of the major products of A. mellifera is beeswax, which is composed of a complex suite of lipids including n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and fatty acyl wax esters. The composition is highly constant as it is determined genetically through the insect's biochemistry. Thus, the chemical 'fingerprint' of beeswax provides a reliable basis for detecting this commodity in organic residues preserved at archaeological sites, which we now use to trace the exploitation by humans of A. mellifera temporally and spatially. Here we present secure identifications of beeswax in lipid residues preserved in pottery vessels of Neolithic Old World farmers. The geographical range of bee product exploitation is traced in Neolithic Europe, the Near East and North Africa, providing the palaeoecological range of honeybees during prehistory. Temporally, we demonstrate that bee products were exploited continuously, and probably extensively in some regions, at least from the seventh millennium cal BC, likely fulfilling a variety of technological and cultural functions. The close association of A. mellifera with Neolithic farming communities dates to the early onset of agriculture and may provide evidence for the beginnings of a domestication process.
PB  - Nature Publishing Group, London
T2  - Nature
T1  - Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers
EP  - +
IS  - 7577
SP  - 226
VL  - 527
DO  - 10.1038/nature15757
ER  - 
@article{
author = "Roffet-Salque, Melanie and Regert, Martine and Evershed, Richard R. and Outram, Alan K. and Cramp, Lucy J. E. and Decavallas, Orestes and Dunne, Julie and Gerbault, Pascale and Mileto, Simona and Mirabaud, Sigrid and Paakkonen, Mirva and Smyth, Jessica and Soberl, Lucija and Whelton, Helen L. and Alday-Ruiz, Alfonso and Asplund, Henrik and Bartkowiak, Marta and Bayer-Niemeier, Eva and Belhouchet, Lotfi and Bernardini, Federico and Budja, Mihael and Cooney, Gabriel and Cubas, Miriam and Danaher, Ed M. and Diniz, Mariana and Domboroczki, Laszlo and Fabbri, Cristina and Gonzalez-Urquijo, Jesus E. and Guilaine, Jean and Hachi, Slimane and Hartwell, Barrie N. and Hofmann, Daniela and Hohle, Isabel and Ibanez, Juan J. and Karul, Necmi and Kherbouche, Farid and Kiely, Jacinta and Kotsakis, Kostas and Lueth, Friedrich and Mallory, James P. and Manen, Claire and Marciniak, Arkadiusz and Maurice-Chabard, Brigitte and McGonigle, Martin A. and Mulazzani, Simone and Ozdogan, Mehmet and Peric, Olga S. and Perić, Slaviša and Petrasch, Joerg and Petrequin, Anne-Marie and Petrequie, Pierre and Poensgen, Ulrike and Pollard, Joshua C. and Poplin, Francois and Radi, Giovanna and Stadler, Peter and Staeuble, Harald and Tasić, Nenad and Urem-Kotsou, Dushka and Vukovic, Jasna B. and Walsh, Fintan and Whittle, Alasdair and Wolfram, Sabine and Zapata-Pena, Lydia and Zoughlami, Jamel",
year = "2015",
abstract = "The pressures on honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations, resulting from threats by modern pesticides, parasites, predators and diseases, have raised awareness of the economic importance and critical role this insect plays in agricultural societies across the globe. However, the association of humans with A. mellifera predates post-industrial-revolution agriculture, as evidenced by the widespread presence of ancient Egyptian bee iconography dating to the Old Kingdom (approximately 2400 BC)(1). There are also indications of Stone Age people harvesting bee products; for example, honey hunting is interpreted from rock art(2) in a prehistoric Holocene context and a beeswax find in a pre-agriculturalist site(3). However, when and where the regular association of A. mellifera with agriculturalists emerged is unknown(4). One of the major products of A. mellifera is beeswax, which is composed of a complex suite of lipids including n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and fatty acyl wax esters. The composition is highly constant as it is determined genetically through the insect's biochemistry. Thus, the chemical 'fingerprint' of beeswax provides a reliable basis for detecting this commodity in organic residues preserved at archaeological sites, which we now use to trace the exploitation by humans of A. mellifera temporally and spatially. Here we present secure identifications of beeswax in lipid residues preserved in pottery vessels of Neolithic Old World farmers. The geographical range of bee product exploitation is traced in Neolithic Europe, the Near East and North Africa, providing the palaeoecological range of honeybees during prehistory. Temporally, we demonstrate that bee products were exploited continuously, and probably extensively in some regions, at least from the seventh millennium cal BC, likely fulfilling a variety of technological and cultural functions. The close association of A. mellifera with Neolithic farming communities dates to the early onset of agriculture and may provide evidence for the beginnings of a domestication process.",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group, London",
journal = "Nature",
title = "Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers",
pages = "+-226",
number = "7577",
volume = "527",
doi = "10.1038/nature15757"
}
Roffet-Salque, M., Regert, M., Evershed, R. R., Outram, A. K., Cramp, L. J. E., Decavallas, O., Dunne, J., Gerbault, P., Mileto, S., Mirabaud, S., Paakkonen, M., Smyth, J., Soberl, L., Whelton, H. L., Alday-Ruiz, A., Asplund, H., Bartkowiak, M., Bayer-Niemeier, E., Belhouchet, L., Bernardini, F., Budja, M., Cooney, G., Cubas, M., Danaher, E. M., Diniz, M., Domboroczki, L., Fabbri, C., Gonzalez-Urquijo, J. E., Guilaine, J., Hachi, S., Hartwell, B. N., Hofmann, D., Hohle, I., Ibanez, J. J., Karul, N., Kherbouche, F., Kiely, J., Kotsakis, K., Lueth, F., Mallory, J. P., Manen, C., Marciniak, A., Maurice-Chabard, B., McGonigle, M. A., Mulazzani, S., Ozdogan, M., Peric, O. S., Perić, S., Petrasch, J., Petrequin, A., Petrequie, P., Poensgen, U., Pollard, J. C., Poplin, F., Radi, G., Stadler, P., Staeuble, H., Tasić, N., Urem-Kotsou, D., Vukovic, J. B., Walsh, F., Whittle, A., Wolfram, S., Zapata-Pena, L.,& Zoughlami, J.. (2015). Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers. in Nature
Nature Publishing Group, London., 527(7577), 226-+.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature15757
Roffet-Salque M, Regert M, Evershed RR, Outram AK, Cramp LJE, Decavallas O, Dunne J, Gerbault P, Mileto S, Mirabaud S, Paakkonen M, Smyth J, Soberl L, Whelton HL, Alday-Ruiz A, Asplund H, Bartkowiak M, Bayer-Niemeier E, Belhouchet L, Bernardini F, Budja M, Cooney G, Cubas M, Danaher EM, Diniz M, Domboroczki L, Fabbri C, Gonzalez-Urquijo JE, Guilaine J, Hachi S, Hartwell BN, Hofmann D, Hohle I, Ibanez JJ, Karul N, Kherbouche F, Kiely J, Kotsakis K, Lueth F, Mallory JP, Manen C, Marciniak A, Maurice-Chabard B, McGonigle MA, Mulazzani S, Ozdogan M, Peric OS, Perić S, Petrasch J, Petrequin A, Petrequie P, Poensgen U, Pollard JC, Poplin F, Radi G, Stadler P, Staeuble H, Tasić N, Urem-Kotsou D, Vukovic JB, Walsh F, Whittle A, Wolfram S, Zapata-Pena L, Zoughlami J. Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers. in Nature. 2015;527(7577):226-+.
doi:10.1038/nature15757 .
Roffet-Salque, Melanie, Regert, Martine, Evershed, Richard R., Outram, Alan K., Cramp, Lucy J. E., Decavallas, Orestes, Dunne, Julie, Gerbault, Pascale, Mileto, Simona, Mirabaud, Sigrid, Paakkonen, Mirva, Smyth, Jessica, Soberl, Lucija, Whelton, Helen L., Alday-Ruiz, Alfonso, Asplund, Henrik, Bartkowiak, Marta, Bayer-Niemeier, Eva, Belhouchet, Lotfi, Bernardini, Federico, Budja, Mihael, Cooney, Gabriel, Cubas, Miriam, Danaher, Ed M., Diniz, Mariana, Domboroczki, Laszlo, Fabbri, Cristina, Gonzalez-Urquijo, Jesus E., Guilaine, Jean, Hachi, Slimane, Hartwell, Barrie N., Hofmann, Daniela, Hohle, Isabel, Ibanez, Juan J., Karul, Necmi, Kherbouche, Farid, Kiely, Jacinta, Kotsakis, Kostas, Lueth, Friedrich, Mallory, James P., Manen, Claire, Marciniak, Arkadiusz, Maurice-Chabard, Brigitte, McGonigle, Martin A., Mulazzani, Simone, Ozdogan, Mehmet, Peric, Olga S., Perić, Slaviša, Petrasch, Joerg, Petrequin, Anne-Marie, Petrequie, Pierre, Poensgen, Ulrike, Pollard, Joshua C., Poplin, Francois, Radi, Giovanna, Stadler, Peter, Staeuble, Harald, Tasić, Nenad, Urem-Kotsou, Dushka, Vukovic, Jasna B., Walsh, Fintan, Whittle, Alasdair, Wolfram, Sabine, Zapata-Pena, Lydia, Zoughlami, Jamel, "Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers" in Nature, 527, no. 7577 (2015):226-+,
https://doi.org/10.1038/nature15757 . .

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