Cow teeth dating back 5,000 years could provide new insights into the construction of Stonehenge.
Utilizing advanced isotopic analysis, researchers examined the jawbone, which was first discovered at the southern entrance of Stonehenge in 1924, a location of significant ritual importance.
The findings indicate that the cow spent its early years on terrain that existed more than 400 million years ago, beneath the massive stones.
“This is the first evidence linking the timing of the cow’s life to the movement of the bluestones, which are connected to both Wales and Stonehenge,” said Professor Jane Evans, the study’s lead author, in an interview with BBC Science Focus. “The insights from a single tooth tell a larger narrative than I had anticipated.”
The bluestones of Stonehenge are smaller standing stones that contrast with the larger Sarsen stones, which were transported over 200 km (125 miles) from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales.
The journey of these stones remains one of archaeology’s great mysteries. Were they carried on sleds, floated down rivers, or perhaps moved with the assistance of animals?
Researchers sliced the teeth into nine layers, each capturing a chemical signal reflecting a brief period in the cow’s life.
Oxygen and carbon isotopes revealed a dietary transition over roughly six months, from stored winter feed to summer grazing. Strontium analysis indicated that the cow’s diet came from diverse geological sources, implying that either the cow moved to the food or vice versa.
However, the lead isotopes presented a more unexpected finding. Their makeup suggested the geological settings of Wales, while unusual spikes indicated that lead stored in the skeleton was released during pregnancy.
This lead would have been incorporated into the skeleton earlier in the cow’s life. In essence, while its life concluded at Stonehenge, it likely began in Wales, mirroring the journey of the stones.
Subsequent tests confirmed that the animal was female, and she may have been pregnant or nursing when the tooth section formed.
Together, these findings enhance our understanding of the logistics involved in transporting the massive stones of Stonehenge, weighing approximately 4.5 tons (5 tons) over several hundred kilometers.
Rather than just a group of men carrying stones, the existence of cows—potentially pregnant and possibly providing milk—suggests a larger community engaged in their transport.
“We may theorize that the cow could have been used to pull loads,” Evans noted. While this specific animal might not have moved stones, it indicates that Neolithic people potentially utilized “beast of burden” techniques in the region.
“This study offers important new perspectives on the life history of this remarkable cow, which was interred at a vital site at Stonehenge’s entrance,” said Richard McGwick, a co-author of the research and professor of archaeological sciences at Cardiff University.
“It reveals unprecedented details about the animal’s distant origins and its arduous journey. Although grand narratives dominate studies of significant archaeological sites, this focused biographical approach to a single animal introduces a fresh dimension to the story of Stonehenge.”
Evans mentioned that further investigations could be conducted on other animal remains found in and around the monument.
For now, this cow’s teeth provide compelling evidence that the journey of Stonehenge’s stones may have involved both animals and humans.
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About our experts
Jane Evans is an honorary researcher and emeritus professor for the UK Geological Survey at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham. She is an isotopic geochemist specializing in isotopic system origins and their applications to archaeological dietary problems.
Source: www.sciencefocus.com
