Abstract
The Neolithic, a major episode in human history, is marked by the domestication of plant and animal species, the beginnings of agriculture, and significant demographic growth. The ANR WomenSOFar project (ANR-21-CE03-0008) aims to identify the status of women through how they move, eat, work, and care for the young. As part of this research project, an innovative and exploratory approach involving the analysis of micro-remains contained in dental calculus was carried out. The objectives were to test the interest of this still embryonic approach in France and to provide insights into the dietary habits of Neolithic communities in La Roussille (Vertaizon, Puy-de-Dôme), in addition to data from other paleoecological and bioarchaeological disciplines.The studied site, La Roussille, is located in Auvergne and has the particularity of being composed of a habitation area and a burial zone, dated to approximately 4600 to 4300 years BCE. Dental calculus samples from 7 individuals, including 2 males, 4 females, and 1 of unknown sex, were analyzed at the University College of Dublin, Ireland. Dental calculus samples were decalcified using the EDTA method before being studied under an optical microscope. Micro-remains were identified through publications and reference books. The main elements found were phytoliths, microscopic siliceous bodies produced by plants as a defense against attacks such as herbivory, as well as animal cells, micro-charcoal, pollen, and fungal spores. These initial results raise questions about the representativeness of the different types of elements identified in this matrix and the use of teeth as a tool.