Becoming adult in the Neolithic: tracing back life histories exploring diet and mobility through stable isotope analysis of dentine increments from two Apulian sites

Stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen has recently provided new evidence on the diet of human individuals from the Italian Neolithic. Particularly, southeastern Italy, provides a higher density of data. The isotope evidence suggests a common Neolithic diet, mainly composed of C3 cereals and animals, with small variations according to geographic location. We suggest this is probably related to different human-environmental interactions and local traditions. At the intra-site level, the isotope evidence suggests a certain homogeneity and absence of variation in diet according to sex and age. Despite the evidence emerging from it, this approach lacks the resolution needed to further deepen our understanding of past lives, for example reconstructing the biography of single individuals. Stable isotope analysis of dentine increments allows the investigation of specific moments of the life. Here, we apply this approach to explore how diet changed across the lives of six individuals, namely from childhood to adulthood, from two Apulian sites: Passo di Corvo (FG) and Titolo (BA). By including stable sulphur isotopes, we further aim to explore mobility patterns. Our results show different breastfeeding and weaning behaviours, as well as changes in diet and mobility during childhood, adolescence and early adulthood that do not appear to follow specific patterns. Thanks to this approach it was possible to trace back each individual's personal history, moving forward from a population approach, while underlining that there might have not been a univocal way of growing up in the Neolithic, at least in these two communities.