Pastures in transition: Variability of dental microwear in Middle Neolithic domestic ruminants in central and southern Germany

This study uses dental microwear data to investigate the short-term dietary conditions of cattle, sheep and goats from Middle Neolithic sites in southern and central Germany. The predominance of striations indicates grazing-oriented feeding strategies, while signatures typical of browsers occur only sporadically. Overall, differences between species are minor, but the sites each show characteristic microwear profiles that suggest varying local vegetation conditions and grazing practices. Regional analysis indicates different landscape conditions within the cultural groups studied, while temporal trends point to increasing heterogeneity of grazing environments during the 5th millennium BCE. Overall, the results illustrate that Neolithic animal husbandry in Central Europe was characterised by high spatial and temporal variability, which was closely linked to local environmental conditions, seasonal resource availability and different forms of landscape use.