Stable isotope evidence for diet in early medieval Great Moravia (Czech Republic)

Halffman, Carrin M.; Velemínský, Petr

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2014.12.006

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Stable carbon ( 13 C/ 12 C) and nitrogen ( 15 N/ 14 N) isotope ratios are usually examined to study the diet of past humans and/or animals (e.g. Craig et al 2009;Halffman and Velemínský 2015). In particular, the analysis of δ 13 C values is necessary for the distinction between C 3 or C 4 plant sources, as C 3 plants (e.g.…”

Section: Stable Isotope Measurements: Reconstructing Diet and Mobilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Early medieval Italian Alps: reconstructing diet and mobility in the valleys

Paladin

Moghaddam

Stawinoga

et al. 2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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In Early Middle Ages (sixth-eleventh centuries AD), South Tyrol (Italian Alps) played a key role for geographical and military reasons. Historical sources document that allochthonous groups (germani) entered the territory, and the material culture shows mutual cultural exchanges between autochthonous and germani. Besides the nature of the migration, the demographic and socio-cultural impacts on the local population are still unknown. Stable isotope analyses were performed to provide insights into dietary patterns, subsistence strategies, changes in socio-economic structures, and mobility, according to spatial (e.g. valleys, altitudes) and chronological (centuries) parameters. Bone collagen of 32 faunal and 91 human bone samples from nine sites, located at different altitudes, was extracted for stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur isotope analyses. In total, 94% (30/32) of the faunal remains were of good quality, while the humans displayed 93% (85/91) of good quality samples for δ 13 C and δ 15 N and 44% (40/91) for δ 34 S stable isotopes. The isotopic results of the animals reflected a terrestrial-based diet. Statistical differences were observed within and among the humans of the different valleys. The δ 13 C values of individuals sampled from higher altitudes indicated a mainly C 3 plant-based diet compared to areas at lower altitudes, where more positive δ 13 C values showed an intake of C 4 plants. The δ 15 N values suggested a terrestrial-based diet with a greater consumption of animal proteins at higher altitudes. The data revealed higher variability in δ 34 S values in the Adige valley, with individuals probably migrating and/or changing dietary habits.

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Section: Stable Isotope Measurements: Reconstructing Diet and Mobilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Early medieval Italian Alps: reconstructing diet and mobility in the valleys

Paladin

Moghaddam

Stawinoga

et al. 2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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“…The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of human bone will be discussed and interpreted here primarily using the 5‰ levels of TLE (Trophic level effect) but also taking the 3‰ level into account, an approach which has recently been frequently used (e.g., Basha, Chamberlain, Zaki, Kandeel, & Fares, ; Chen et al, ; Ciaffi et al, ; Fernandes, Grootes, Nadeau, & Nehlich, ; Halffman & Velemínský, ; Mörseburg, Alt, & Knipper, ; Nafplioti, ; Richards, Karavanić, Pettitt, & Miracle, ; Schutkowski & Soltysiak, ). The offset in δ 13 C is much smaller in human bone collagen when comparing with bones of animals likely consumed by humans (i.e., the TLE) and is sometimes given as an interval of +0.8 to 1.3‰ (Bocherens & Drucker, ), but mostly rounded off to the originally suggested +1‰ (DeNiro & Epstein, ) which is the value that will be employed in this study for the TLE.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifting diet, shifting culture? A bioarchaeological approach to island dietary development on Iron‐Age Öland, Baltic Sea

Wilhelmson

2017

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…However, it is in combination where they provide the most comprehensive information. While yielding high levels of detail on cuisine and foodstuffs consumed, written records are still virtually nonexistent for the first centuries of the 1 st millennium AD in certain parts of eastern Europe [9,12,13] and, where available, historical documentation revolves around social and religious elite groups [5]. Zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical data speak to the specific foodstuffs available for a given, context-based window of time but do not necessarily provide insights into the longterm dietary reliance of an individual [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While yielding high levels of detail on cuisine and foodstuffs consumed, written records are still virtually nonexistent for the first centuries of the 1 st millennium AD in certain parts of eastern Europe [9,12,13] and, where available, historical documentation revolves around social and religious elite groups [5]. Zooarchaeological and archaeobotanical data speak to the specific foodstuffs available for a given, context-based window of time but do not necessarily provide insights into the longterm dietary reliance of an individual [12]. They are also limited by taphonomic biases [14] and retrieval techniques, and are not always capable of showing how available resources were distributed within the population through time [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are also limited by taphonomic biases [14] and retrieval techniques, and are not always capable of showing how available resources were distributed within the population through time [3]. Stable isotope analysis of human remains has emerged as a means of obtaining direct and quantitative information about the diet of individuals and communities [12,14,15]. It can also, when combined with other more traditional methodologies, enable the exploration of the diet of individuals overlooked in the Medieval historical record, such as juveniles, individuals from lower social statuses, and those residing in nonurban locations [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Medieval and early modern diets in the Polack region of Belarus: A stable isotope perspective

Haponava

Kots²,

Lucas³

et al. 2022

PLoS ONE

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In western and north-western Europe there has been a growing focus on exploring how major economic, political, and social changes during the Medieval period impacted the lived experience of different populations and sectors of society. Stable isotope analysis has proven particularly powerful in this regard, providing direct insights into the long-term diets of individuals and communities. Despite experiencing similarly dramatic social reconfigurations and changes, eastern Europe has, however, received far less attention in this regard. The territory of Belarus has, especially, so far remained a relative blank spot on the bioarchaeological map of Europe, though cities such as Polack emerged rapidly as key nodes within a growing economic and religious network. To gain direct insight into the diets of inhabitants of the Polack region of Belarus in the 11-18th centuries, we applied stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to bone and dentine collagen from human (n = 143) and animal (n = 105) individuals from the city of Polack and surrounding rural sites. Results indicate a diet based on C3 terrestrial resources, which did not differ between sexes and showed limited variation over time. Contrary to expectations, it appears that animal products were commonly consumed by rural dwellers, but no significant reliance on fish resources or millet consumption is found. In contrast to examples from western Europe, we argue that the diets in the city and the surrounding villages remained broadly similar for the majority of the population, and similar to commoners analysed in Poland and Lithuania, perhaps suggestive of slightly different economic changes operating in this part of the Medieval world.

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Stable isotope evidence for diet in early medieval Great Moravia (Czech Republic)

Cited by 12 publications

References 45 publications

Early medieval Italian Alps: reconstructing diet and mobility in the valleys

Early medieval Italian Alps: reconstructing diet and mobility in the valleys

Shifting diet, shifting culture? A bioarchaeological approach to island dietary development on Iron‐Age Öland, Baltic Sea

Medieval and early modern diets in the Polack region of Belarus: A stable isotope perspective

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