Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Henry Wellcome Building, Cambridge CB2 1QH, UK.
Organic Geochemistry Unit, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
Parasitology. 2022 Jul;149(8):1027-1033. doi: 10.1017/S0031182022000476. Epub 2022 May 20.
Durrington Walls was a large Neolithic settlement in Britain dating around 2500 BCE, located very close to Stonehenge and likely to be the campsite where its builders lived during its main stage of construction. Nineteen coprolites recovered from a midden and associated pits at Durrington Walls were analysed for intestinal parasite eggs using digital light microscopy. Five (26%) contained helminth eggs, 1 with those of fish tapeworm (likely ) and 4 with those of capillariid nematodes. Analyses of bile acid and sterol from these 5 coprolites show 1 to be of likely human origin and the other 4 to likely derive from dogs. The presence of fish tapeworm reveals that the Neolithic people who gathered to feast at Durrington Walls were at risk of infection from eating raw or undercooked freshwater fish. When the eggs of capillariids are found in the feces of humans or dogs it normally indicates that the internal organs (liver, lung or intestines) of animals with capillariasis have been eaten, and eggs passed through the gut without causing disease. Their presence in multiple coprolites provides new evidence that internal organs of animals were consumed. These novel findings improve our understanding of both parasitic infection and dietary habits associated with this key Neolithic ceremonial site.
杜灵顿墙是英国一处大型新石器时代定居点,可追溯到公元前 2500 年左右,它非常靠近巨石阵,很可能是其建造者在主要建造阶段居住的营地。从杜灵顿墙的一个垃圾堆和相关坑中回收的 19 个粪化石,使用数字光显微镜分析肠道寄生虫卵。其中 5 个(26%)含有寄生虫卵,1 个含有鱼肉绦虫(可能),4 个含有毛细线虫。对这 5 个粪化石中的胆汁酸和固醇进行分析表明,其中 1 个可能来自人类,另外 4 个可能来自狗。鱼肉绦虫的存在表明,聚集在杜灵顿墙参加宴会的新石器时代人类有因食用生的或未煮熟的淡水鱼而感染的风险。当毛细线虫的卵在人类或狗的粪便中发现时,通常表明患有毛细线虫病的动物的内脏器官(肝脏、肺部或肠道)被食用,并且卵在没有引起疾病的情况下通过肠道排出。它们在多个粪化石中的存在提供了新的证据,表明动物的内脏器官被食用。这些新发现提高了我们对与这个关键新石器时代仪式遗址相关的寄生虫感染和饮食习惯的理解。