Younger Dryas reindeer in northwest Europe

A multi-isotope study of the palaeoecology and mobility of Chelm’s Combe fauna, Britain

Bibliographic Data

ID19228725
AuthorsR E Stevens (0000-0002-6140-4549, University College London, corresponding author), Hazel Reade (0000-0002-1152-8033, University College London), D Frémondeau (0000-0001-9690-1492, University College London), Kerry L Sayle (0000-0003-3492-5979, University of Glasgow), Jennifer Tripp (University of San Francisco), Jennifer N Tripp (0000-0001-9925-6927, University of San Francisco), Thomas Higham (University of Vienna), T F G Higham (0000-0002-5949-598X, University of Vienna), David J Wilson (0000-0002-7034-5421)
Year2026
Pages100106-100106
Publication date2026-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueQuaternary Environments and Humans (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2950-2365 • E-ISSN: 2950-2365
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.qeh.2026.100106
OpenAlexW7160414532
LanguageEN
References cited83

Reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) played a central role in the subsistence strategies of Late and Final Palaeolithic populations across northern Europe, particularly during the Younger Dryas (c. 12,850–11,650 cal BP). However, while reindeer are known from securely dated Younger Dryas faunal contexts in Britain, they are not associated with archaeological assemblages, and there is currently no conclusive evidence for human presence in Britain at the height of the Younger Dryas stadial. This absence raises important questions about local environmental conditions and the ecology and movements of animal populations in Britain compared to those elsewhere in northwest Europe. In this study, we present the first detailed multi-tissue, multi-isotope analysis of Younger Dryas reindeer from Britain, based on the faunal assemblage from Chelm’s Combe, southwest England. To investigate climate, environment, and reindeer mobility during this period, we analysed oxygen and carbon isotope values from reindeer and red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) tooth enamel, strontium isotopes from reindeer enamel, and carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope values from the bone collagen of reindeer, red deer, and horse ( Equus ferus ). The strontium isotope results indicate that, while some reindeer were likely locally resident, others were non-local and possibly migratory, with potential movement routes extending into northern Britain or across the Channel into northern France. Comparative collagen isotope analysis reveals a pronounced east–west gradient in reindeer δ13C and δ15N values, echoed in the δ15N values of horse, with British specimens exhibiting higher δ15N and lower δ13C values than their continental counterparts. These isotopic differences likely reflect regional variations in temperature, moisture, and lichen availability. Together with the strontium isotope results, these data point to limited connectivity between British and continental reindeer populations. Our findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of reindeer biogeography and palaeoecology during the Younger Dryas and offer critical context for interpreting the apparent absence of human activity in stadial Britain

Allerød oscillation · Antler · Equus · Isotope analysis · Isotopes of strontium · Paleoecology · Pleistocene · Stable isotope ratio · Younger Dryas · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology