Early life histories of the London poor using δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N stable isotope incremental dentine sampling

Abstract

High resolution incremental isotopic analysis of the dentine from early forming teeth, especially first molars (M1s), provides a means to assess the effects of poor childhood nutrition and healthcare on individuals in an assemblage where there are no infants to study. This approach is applied to an 18th and 19th century cemetery population associated with St Saviour's Almshouse burial ground in Southwark, London, to assess whether, or how, early dietary history, including weaning age, influenced health and nutritional status. The results show a general pattern in which non-breast milk foods were introduced before or by 6 months of age, as indicated by elevated δ(15) N during this period. Almost all individuals for which we also have second molar (M2) records, showed lower δ(15) N values from a very young age (>1 year) until approximately 8-10 years, compared to adult values. The overall results show a significant difference in δ(1) (3) C (p = 0 to 4sf, F = 17.327) and a weaker statistical difference in δ(15) N between males and females (p = 0.019, F = 5.581). One possible cause of this is a difference in the diet of males and females early in life, or alternatively, a greater susceptibility of males to nutritional deprivation compared to females. The latter argument is strengthened by a significant difference in the incidence of enamel hypoplasia between the males and females, with 7.7% of male teeth showing defects, compared to 3.9% of females.

Infant mortality and isotopic complexity: New approaches to stress, maternal health, and weaning

“…A re-examination of the previous studies which have used dentine sections to examine breastfeeding and weaning (Burt and Garvie-Lok 2013;Eerkens et al 2011;Eerkens and Bartelink 2013;Henderson et al, 2014Fuller et al 2003 shows that their data also demonstrate considerable isotope variability during infancy. Fuller et al (2003) use the means for each dentine section to match the current interpretation model, but if the data for each individual are analyzed, for five of the 21 deciduous teeth and two of the eight permanent teeth, the differences acknowledge that this may be due to differences either in breastfeeding/weaning behavior, or an increased male susceptibility to nutritional deprivation.…”

Reconstruction of breastfeeding and weaning practices using stable isotope and trace element analyses: A review

“…By applying the microsectioning method to permanent molars obtained from 18th and 19th century cemetery populations in London, Henderson et al (2014) revealed the intrapopulation variations in BWP. Furthermore, Burt and Garvie-Lok (2013) developed a new method of deciduous dentin micro-sampling for stable isotope analysis, which concentrates on the dietary signals of the pregnant mother, breast milk, and weaning foods.…”

“…Furthermore, there are great individual variations in BWPs in modern traditional and industrialized human populations (Vitzthum, 1994). Individual variations in BWP cannot be discussed in most cross-sectional reconstructions, but can be in longitudinal reconstructions using isotopic signals in hair (Fuller et al, 2006a), serial sections of tooth dentin (Eerkens et al, 2011;Beaumont et al, 2013b;Eerkens and Bartelink, 2013;Henderson et al, 2014), and elemental signals in thin-sectioned tooth enamel (Humphrey et al, 2008a;Austin et al, 2013).…”

“…As a byproduct of BWP reconstructions from adult body tissues (see the previous section), sex differences can be easily investigated (Eerkens and Bartelink, 2013;Henderson et al, 2014). There is no conclusive sexing method of preadolescent subadult skeletons using morphological criteria, and sexing by ancient DNA analysis is not routinely performed (Lewis, 2007).…”

“…Therefore, sufficient breastfeeding and appropriate food supplementation to subadults is important for the health of populations. Various isotopic studies have explored this aspect of BWPs in ancient human populations (e.g., Katzenberg et al, 1993;Fuller et al, 2006b;Pearson et al, 2010;Howcroft et al, 2012;Redfern et al, 2012;Henderson et al, 2014).…”