Analysis of Ancient Bones from Greece’s Franchthi Cave

ATHENS, GREECE—An international research team from Simon Fraser University, the Greek Ministry of Culture, and the University of Bologna has examined the chemical makeup of collagen in human remains found in Franchthi Cave, overlooking Greece’s Bay of Koilada, as reported by Phys.org.

This site was continually inhabited for about 40,000 years, starting in the Upper Paleolithic era.

The remains analyzed in this study date back to the Mesolithic period (between 8700 and 8500 B.C.) and the Neolithic period (between 6600 and 5800 B.C.). Prior research suggested the cave’s inhabitants relied little on marine resources. Using high-resolution compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids, the team confirmed these findings, showing the diet was rich in animal protein, likely derived from sheep and sheep’s milk. Inhabitants may have occasionally consumed fish, as the cave was over a mile from the coast during the studied periods.

Additionally, the researchers speculated that livestock and crops flourished on lands now submerged under Koilada Bay. The comprehensive research findings are published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Source https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310834