Rodents: food or pests in Neolithic Orkney

Neolithic inhabitants of Orkney exploited or controlled rodents, providing the first evidence for such practices in Europe. Skeletal remains from four locations within and around Skara Brae, a renowned Neolithic site, reveal that rodent bones accumulated due to deliberate human activity. Burnt bones found in household waste deposits suggest rodents were used as a nutritional resource and may have been targeted for early pest control. This study contrasts with previous research focused on recent dietary use of rodents, offering new insights into ancient human-rodent interactions.

Romaniuk, A. A., Shepherd, A. N., Clarke, D. V., Sheridan, A. J., Fraser, S., Bartosiewicz, L., & Herman, J. S. (2016). Rodents: food or pests in Neolithic Orkney. Royal Society Open Science, 3(10), 160514. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160514