Diachronic dietary reconstructions in ancient Thebes, Greece: results from stable isotope analyses

Vika, Efrossini

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2010.12.019

Cited by 32 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Swine δ 13 C co and δ 15 N values respectively;Fig. 5 and Table 6) are clustered with cattle and ovicaprine values, which suggests a similar herbivorous diet Knipper et al, 2012;Prowse et al, 2004;Vika, 2011). Zooarchaeological analyses of the swine specimen were not able to distinguish between domestic pig and wild boar (Albarella et al, 2005;Valente and Carvalho, 2014) but, given the residential/farming status of the site, most of the swine remains can be attributed to domestic animals.…”

Section: Dietary Patternsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Saragoça

Maurer

Šoberl

et al. 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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This study presents for the first time the diet of a Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal (Civitas of Pax Julia), from the Roman villa of Monte da Cegonha (predominantly 7th century CE). Stable isotope analysis (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 18 O, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) of human and faunal bone collagen and apatite was conducted in order to understand the influence of Roman subsistence strategies on the way of life of rural inhabitants of the area of Pax Julia and to explore their diet (types of ingested plants, amount of animal resources, terrestrial versus marine resources). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses were used to determine the degree of bone diagenesis and assess the reliability of the bone stable isotopic composition for palaeodietary reconstruction. Anthropological analysis revealed a cariogenic diet, rich in starchy food and carbohydrates, in at least in two individuals based on the frequency of dental caries. Collagen and apatite carbon isotopic analysis suggested that C 3 plants were the basis of the population's diet, complemented with some terrestrial meat and its byproducts as reflected by the observed bone collagen nitrogen isotopic composition. Moreover, whilst the fairly low apatite-collagen spacing recorded in some skeletons (at around 4‰) may have been due to freshwater organisms intake, the relatively low nitrogen values observed indicate that this consumption did not occur very often, unless in the form of fresh fish of low trophic level or fish sauces. There were no significant differences in isotopic values depending on gender or burial type. Strontium and oxygen isotopic composition of bone apatite revealed a sedentary community, with the exception of a male individual who probably did not spend his childhood in Monte da Cegonha.

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Section: Dietary Patternsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Saragoça

Maurer

Šoberl

et al. 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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“…The geographic area of Greece has become quite thoroughly studied isotopically over the last years (Papathanasiou, 2003;Bourbou and Richards, 2007;Richards and Vika, 2008;Triantaphyllou et al, 2008;Vika et al, 2009;Petroutsa and Manolis, 2010;Vika, 2011). An emphasis is placed on prehistoric sites, where other lines of evidence are missing.…”

Section: Isotopic Evidence Of Fish Consumption In Ancient Greek Dietsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-investigating fish consumption in Greek antiquity: results from δ13C and δ15N analysis from fish bone collagen

Vika

Theodoropoulou

2012

Journal of Archaeological Science

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“…It is necessary to gather all available evidence and establish potential ranges, accommodating, where possible, differing social statuses and availability of dietary variability. For example, the diets established for the Peloponnese were based on textual sources [76], isotopic studies [42,77], and scholarly approximations (for example, the workshop at Uppsala University in October 2016 where the details of the Peloponnesian evidence were discussed). Although none of these sources precisely reconstruct the diet of ancient people, they allow for relative approximations of ancient diets, and their ranges, to be produced, which can subsequently be tested using the quantitative framework presented here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying Land Use in Past Societies from Cultural Practice and Archaeological Data

Hughes

Weiberg

Bonnier

et al. 2018

Land

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Abstract:Quantitative reconstructions of past land use facilitate comparisons between livelihoods in space and time. However, comparison between different types of land use strategies is challenging as land use has a multitude of expressions and intensities. The quantitative method presented here facilitates the exploration and synthetization of uneven archaeological and textual evidence from past societies. The approach quantifies the area required for habitation, agriculture, arboriculture, pasturage, and fuel supply, based on a combination of archaeological, historical, ethnographic and modern evidence from the relevant geographical region. It is designed to stimulate discussion and can be used to test a wide range of hypotheses regarding local and regional economies, ancient trade and redistribution, and the resilience and/or vulnerability of past societies to environmental change. The method also helps identify where our gaps in knowledge are in understanding past human-environment interaction, the ecological footprint of past cultures and their influence on the landscape in a transparent and quantitative manner. The present article focuses especially on the impact of dietary estimates and crop yield estimates, two main elements in calculating land use in past societies due to their uncertainty as well as their significant impact on calculations. By employing archaeological data, including botanical, zoological and isotopic evidence, alongside available textual sources, this method seeks to improve land use and land cover change models by increasing their representativeness and accuracy.

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Diachronic dietary reconstructions in ancient Thebes, Greece: results from stable isotope analyses

Cited by 32 publications

References 34 publications

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Re-investigating fish consumption in Greek antiquity: results from δ13C and δ15N analysis from fish bone collagen

Quantifying Land Use in Past Societies from Cultural Practice and Archaeological Data

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