Local isotopic ecology of Eneolithic Moldova: Geomorphology, diet and mobility of prehistoric animals of the Tripolye settlement Gordineşti II − Stînca goală, northern Moldova

• Elevated nitrogen values (ẟ 15 N) in cattle, sheep and deer signal environmental shifts. • Dietary analysis of domestic herbivores reveals prehistoric agricultural strategies. • Isotopic data show no silvopastoralism in pig diets; Sr-based evidence of pig trade exists. • Strontium isotopic analysis reveals mobility and trade networks for animals. • Animal mobility patterns indicate local circulation and long-distance human-influenced movements. This study presents multidisciplinary analyses of soil cover and archaeological faunal remains from the late Eneolithic fortified settlement of Gordineşti II – Stînca goală in Moldova. Associated with the Tripolye culture, the site dates back to the late 4th millennium BC. Significant cultural and economic shifts characterize this period, marked by a transition from agrarian to pastoral practices, which ultimately led to a gradual decline in sedentary settlements. Employing diverse geochemical techniques and isotopic analyses ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, δ 15 N, δ 13 C, 14 C-dating), the research elucidates the palaeoecological context of the settlement, human-environment relationships and reasons for its decline and abandonment. We examined 25 faunal specimens, both domesticated and wild, providing local isotopic reference values ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr baselines) from surficial deposits and water in the region. The initial carbon and nitrogen isotope values indicate a local isotopic ecology undergoing progressive aridification, particularly in the isotopic signatures of larger herbivores. Additionally, our analysis of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotopic values from faunal dental materials reveals distinct mobility patterns among certain animal groups, offering new insights into Eneolithic husbandry practices. This research holds considerable significance as it reveals the adaptive strategies of prehistoric communities navigating the critical shift from agriculture to pastoralism, thereby deepening our understanding of the socio-economic transformations that occurred in prehistoric Eastern and Central Europe.