Intensive resource exploitation in Late Neolithic Iberia: Bone marrow and subsistence changes at Branqueiras, central-coastal Portugal

• Bone marrow exploitation and intensive resources exploitation. • Human adaptation to environmental changes. • Late Neolithic short-term settlement of Branqueiras. • Central-costal Portugal. The exploitation of bone marrow has long been recognised as a vital component of past human subsistence strategies, particularly for its nutritional value. While this practice is well studied in hunter-gatherer societies and in communities facing harsh environmental conditions, it is less understood in prehistoric farming societies and temperate environments. This paper presents the results of bone marrow exploitation at the Late Neolithic short-term site of Branqueiras, located in the temperate central-coastal region of Portugal. The faunal assemblage reveals a significant percentage of intentional long bone breakage for marrow extraction, a practice that appears to have been overlooked in earlier and later periods. The site’s short-term occupation, radiocarbon-dated to 2900–2700 cal BC, coincides with a hiatus at the nearby long-term settlement of Leceia and occurred during a period of climate change characterised by reduced rainfall, hot summers, and cold winters. This study provides key insights into human adaptation to climate stress within established farming communities, a topic often underexplored in Neolithic–Chalcolithic contexts. The authors propose that the Branqueiras community represents a shift in human behaviour, as itinerant groups adapted to arid conditions by intensively exploiting animal resources, including domestic caprines, swine, wild game, and molluscs, while agricultural practices and cattle herding declined. In this context, bone marrow became a crucial source of nutrients, playing a significant role in subsistence strategies during this challenging period.