Here we present the first isotopic investigation of a Vandalic period site (ca. 5th–6th centuries AD), the Theodosian Wall cemetery at Carthage, in modern day Tunis, Tunisia. The focus of this research is to determine the general diet and food consumption patterns of this population during this important and pivotal period of antiquity in North Africa. To this end, collagen stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N) are reported for a variety of fauna (n = 20) and humans (n = 70). The human mean±SD results (δ13C = −19.3 ± 0.4‰; δ15N = 10.7 ± 1.4‰) reflect a diet that was based predominantly on C3 terrestrial plants with varying amounts of animal protein from domestic animals such as sheep/goats, cows, and pigs. No statistically significant isotopic differences between males and females, developmental age, or time period of burial were found. The isotopic results from the Theodosian Wall cemetery at Carthage are compared to eight previously published Roman and Early Byzantine sites from the Mediterranean region (Carrer Ample 1, Joan Planells, S'Hort des Llimoners (Spain); Isola Sacra, Velia, Herculaneum (Italy); Ephesus (Turkey); and Leptiminus (Tunisia)). The lack of significant amounts of marine foods in the diets of the Vandal era population at Carthage is in stark contrast to the Roman inhabitants of Leptiminus, where significant consumption of marine‐derived dietary resources was found. As Leptiminus is ~180 km southeast of Carthage, the work presented here shows that large dietary differences existed in North African populations during antiquity.
Objectives By focusing on two Danish leprosaria (Næstved and Odense; 13th–16th c. CE) and using diet and origin as proxies, we follow a multi‐isotopic approach to reconstruct life histories of patients and investigate how leprosy affected both institutionalized individuals and the medieval Danish community as a whole. Materials and Methods We combine archaeology, historical sources, biological anthropology, isotopic analyses (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, 87Sr/86Sr) and radiocarbon dating, and further analyze bones with different turnover rates (ribs and long bones). Results The δ13C, δ15N and δ34S results indicate a C3 terrestrial diet with small contributions of marine protein for leprosy patients and individuals from other medieval Danish sites. A similar diet is seen through time, between males and females, and patients with and without changes on facial bones. The isotopic comparison between ribs and long bones reveals no significant dietary change. The δ34S and 87Sr/86Sr results suggest that patients were local to the regions of the leprosaria. Moreover, the radiocarbon dates show a mere 50% agreement with the arm position dating method used in Denmark. Conclusions A local origin for the leprosy patients is in line with historical evidence, unlike the small dietary contribution of marine protein. Although only 10% of the analyzed individuals have rib/long bone offsets that undoubtedly show a dietary shift, the data appear to reveal a pattern for 25 individuals (out of 50), with elevated δ13C and/or δ15N values in the ribs compared to the long bones, which points toward a communal type of diet and reveals organizational aspects of the institution.
Cats are hypercarnivorous, opportunistic animals that have adjusted to anthropogenic environments since the Neolithic period. Through humans, either by direct feeding and/or scavenging on food scraps, the diet of cats has been enriched with animals that they cannot kill themselves (e.g., large mammals, fish). Here, we conducted carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio analysis to reconstruct the diet of medieval cats and investigate cat-human interactions in two medieval harbor sites (Qalhât, Oman and Siraf, Iran). The analysis included 28 cat individuals and 100 associated marine and terrestrial faunal samples pertaining to > 30 taxa. The isotopic results indicate a high marine protein-based diet for the cats from Qalhât and a mixed marine-terrestrial (C4) diet for the cats from Siraf. Cats at these sites most likely scavenged on both human food scraps and refuse related to fishing activities, with differences in the two sites most likely associated with the availability of marine resources and/or the living conditions of the cats. By shedding light on the dietary habits of cats from two medieval harbors in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, this study illustrates the potential of stable isotope analysis in reconstructing human-cat interactions in the past.
Citation for published item: frozouD enstsi nd vynnerupD xiels nd wnninoD wrello eF nd willrdD endrew F nd qr¤ okeD hrren F @PHIWA 9snvestigting dietry ptterns nd orgnistionl struture y using stle isotope nlysis X pilot study of the hnish medievl leprosy hospitl t xaestvedF9D enthropologisher enzeigerFD UT @QAF ppF ITUEIUVF Further information on publisher's website: httpsXGGdoiForgGIHFIIPUGnthrnzGPHIWGHWRW Publisher's copyright statement:Additional information: Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details.
Leprosy can lead to blood depletion in Zn, Ca, Mg, and Fe and blood enrichment in Cu. In late medieval Europe, minerals were used to treat leprosy. Here, physiological responses to leprosy and possible evidence of treatment are investigated in enamel, dentine, and cementum of leprosy sufferers from medieval Denmark (n = 12) and early 20th century Romania (n = 2). Using SXRF and LA-ICP-TOFMS, 12 elements were mapped in 15 tooth thin sections, and the statistical covariation of paired elements was computed to assess their biological relevance. The results show marked covariations in the Zn, Ca, and Mg distributions, which are compatible with clinical studies but cannot be directly attributed to leprosy. Minerals used historically as a treatment for leprosy show no detectable intake (As, Hg) or a diffuse distribution (Pb) related to daily ingestion. Intense Pb enrichments indicate acute incorporations of Pb, potentially through the administration of Pb-enriched medication or the mobilization of Pb from bone stores to the bloodstream during intense physiological stress related to leprosy. However, comparisons with a healthy control group are needed to ascertain these interpretations. The positive correlations and the patterns observed between Pb and essential elements may indicate underlying pathophysiological conditions, demonstrating the potential of SXRF and LA-ICP-TOFMS for paleopathological investigations.
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