Dietary continuity vs. discontinuity in Bronze Age Italy. The isotopic evidence from Arano di Cellore (Illasi, Verona, Italy)

Abstract

This paper explores dietary practices in Bronze Age northern Italy through the isotopic investigation of human and animal collagen from the Early Bronze Age (EBA) necropolis of Arano di Cellore (Illasi, Verona). An earlier study had recently dated to the Bronze Age the introduction of C4 crops in the Po Plain in a way that makes this region of Europe a key area to explore Bronze Age economic strategies. Our study shows that diet at Arano was based on the consumption of C3 cereal-type plants, with isotope values clustered in a narrow range: this distribution would indicate a rather homogeneous diet with only slight differences in accordance to sex of the individuals. The evidence from Arano seems to suggest that during the EBA, food consumption was strongly rooted in earlier traditions likely going back to the Neolithic, either in terms of type of crops consumed or relative contribution of plants and animal proteins to the diet. Thanks to the evidence from Arano, we are now able to firmly place the shift in crop use in the region at a transition phase between the late phases of the EBA and the beginning of the MBA. When comparing Arano's results with those from EBA Mediterranean sites similar isotopic patterns are identified. A general uniformity of dietary practices for the south of Europe could be advocated, so that the consumption of C4 plants identified in the Po Plain during the MBA might have been limited to very specific sites

Stable C & N isotopes in 2100 Year-B.P. human bone collagen indicate rare dietary dominance of C4 plants in NE-Italy

“…BC) and of Arano di Cellore, Verona (2040-1890 cal. BC) support the hypothesis of C 4 plants consumption, and in particular of millet in some areas of the Verona province4546(Fig. 4).…”

“…4), confirming a preponderant C 4 plants based diet, Arano di Cellore (AC), dated to Early Bronze Age, shows a diet based on the consumption of C 3 cereal-type plants. Hence, the data from AC and ODN firmly place the shift in C 4 crop use in the region at a transition period between the late phases of the Early Bronze Age and the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age46, consequently our data show that successively, in pre-Roman times, the diet of most habitants of the zone was almost exclusively based on C 4 plants. This, indirectly indicates that this Celtic population had mastered agriculture techniques to such an extent that they could live off the harvest of their cultivated crops the year round.…”

“…Traces of C 4 plant consumption are reported in other studies4546 from more ancient necropolis of the zone. While Olmo de Nogara (ODN) dated to Middle Bronze Age share very similar isotopic values with Verona (Fig.…”

Estimating C4 plant consumption in Bronze Age Northeastern Italy through stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bone collagen

“…Comparison with some earlier Bronze Age sites in the Veneto region such as Arano di Cellore (Varalli et al, ) and coeval contexts in southern regions of the Peninsula such as Toppo Daguzzo and Lavello (Tafuri et al, ) confirm that the consumption of C 4 crops was probably not a diffused practice in the Peninsula. There are still scarce isotope data on Bronze Age contexts outside the northern Peninsula, hence, comparison remains difficult.…”

“…There is a handful of isotopic studies on pre‐ and proto‐historic Italy (Lelli et al, ; Tafuri, Craig, & Canci, ; Tafuri et al, ; Varalli, Moggi‐Cecchi, Moroni, & Goude, ; Varalli et al, ), with northeastern Italy representing a critical area for the understanding of food practices of Early, Middle, and Late Bronze Age communities. In particular, earlier study by Tafuri et al () revealed the direct and possibly indirect consumption of C 4 plants (i.e., millets) at Olmo di Nogara, in the Po Plain, already at the middle phases of the Bronze Age (BM2 in local terminology), and isotope data from coeval contexts in southern Italy showed a fully C 3 ‐plant reliant diet.…”