Abstract:

This study investigates cattle feeding strategies at the Late Iron Age rural establishment of Mas Castellar de Pontós (Empordà plain, northeastern Iberian Peninsula), a key agricultural and commercial centre linked to the coastal Greek colonies of Emporion and Rhode. Previous isotopic data from bulk collagen analyses of bones (Messana et al. 2025) suggested a potential introduction of C4 plants into the cattle diet; however, the temporal dimensions of this practice remained unclear. To address this gap, sequential analyses of δ13C and δ18O values were performed on dental enamel from seven lower molars belonging to five cattle, allowing a seasonal resolution of their feeding habits. The results confirm the seasonal integration of C4 plants into the cattle diet during the warmer months, complementing a basal C3 plant consumption during the year. Considering the landscape surrounding the settlement and the agricultural activity, two options are proposed regarding the nature of the C4 plants consumed: cultivated cereals such as millet or wild plants growing along the coast and in salt marshes. The isotopic data currently available do not allow a discernment between the two hypotheses, resulting in a scenario of so-called equifinality. This pattern reflects a deliberate and seasonally adaptive feeding strategy, comparable to that observed in sheep from the same settlement. This evidence suggest that cattle, as has been documented for sheep, had access to a diversified range of plant resources during the year. These livestock feeding habits may have been adopted by herders to maximise the availability of pasture and/or fodder.