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Investigating dietary patterns and organisational structure by using stable isotope analysis: a pilot study of the Danish medieval leprosy hospital at Næstved
Abstract
During the 12th and 13th centuries, numerous leprosy hospitals were founded in Europe. Given that leprosy was not considered infectious, this may reflect social dimensions of the disease. Aiming at exploring the impact of leprosy on medieval people and the organisation of the Danish leprosarium at Næstved, we reconstructed the diet of twenty patients using stable isotopes, and compared our results with relevant historical data. The isotope results revealed a terrestrial C3 diet with a small contribution of aquatic foods. Contrary to historical evidence of daily fish consumption in the leprosy hospital, only six individuals consumed relatively large amounts of freshwater fish. Leprosaria have been considered monastic institutions, and thus a varied diet, poor in aquatic protein, questions the monastic nature of the hospital and points to a social stratification. A multi-isotope analysis of a larger sample set would add to our understanding of the diet of the leprosy patients, as well as their treatment in the leprosarium.
Dietary patterns of leprosy patients from the medieval leprosarium at Odense (Denmark) were investigated via carbon isotope ratio analysis of individual amino acids (δ¹³CAA) in bone collagen. The aim of this research was to explore in detail the consumption of aquatic resources (freshwater and marine) by these individuals; especially during the last few years of life, which were likely spent in the leprosy hospital. The analysis was conducted on ribs (n = 30) and long bones (n = 10) from 30 individuals, as well as on 9 local and contemporary faunal samples. A comparison of the Odense δ¹³CAA results with published δ¹³CAA values from the Baltic Sea region indicate that the diet was primarily terrestrial, but 12 of the 30 individuals (40%) consumed a mixed terrestrial-aquatic diet based on Δ¹³CVal-Phe values. Further, comparison of the rib-long bone pairs from 10 individuals found statistically significant differences in the Δ¹³CVal-Phe and Δ¹³CGly-Phe results, but not the δ¹³CLys results. This intra-individual dietary difference is also supported by MLA-PCA, and tentatively suggests these leprosy patients increased their consumption of marine protein over the last few years of life, indicating perhaps an institutional dietary program in the leprosarium. This work represents one of the largest archaeological δ¹³CAA studies in Europe and the first to compare bones with different turnover rates. Compound specific isotope analysis of δ¹³CAA has great potential to reveal subtle intra-individual dietary shifts that may remain undetected by bulk isotopic analysis.
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.
We have examined the remains of a Pilgrim burial from St Mary Magdalen, Winchester. The individual was a young adult male, aged around 18–25 years at the time of death. Radiocarbon dating showed the remains dated to the late 11th–early 12th centuries, a time when pilgrimages were at their height in Europe. Several lines of evidence in connection with the burial suggested this was an individual of some means and prestige. Although buried within the leprosarium cemetery, the skeleton showed only minimal skeletal evidence for leprosy, which was confined to the bones of the feet and legs. Nonetheless, molecular testing of several skeletal elements, including uninvolved bones all showed robust evidence of DNA from Mycobacterium leprae, consistent with the lepromatous or multibacillary form of the disease. We infer that in life, this individual almost certainly suffered with multiple soft tissue lesions. Genotyping of the M.leprae strain showed this belonged to the 2F lineage, today associated with cases from South-Central and Western Asia. During osteological examination it was noted that the cranium and facial features displayed atypical morphology for northern European populations. Subsequently, geochemical isotopic analyses carried out on tooth enamel indicated that this individual was indeed not local to the Winchester region, although it was not possible to be more specific about their geographic origin.
This study investigates the diet of an eleventh century CE parish community located in northwestern Germany. We assessed the isotopic compositions of human (n = 24) and faunal (n = 17) bone collagen (δ13Ccol, δ15Ncol) and human structural carbonate (δ13Csc) using skeletal material recovered from the Dalheim cemetery. Traditional interpretation of the isotopic data indicates that Dalheim residents likely relied on a C3 plant-based diet and consumed some terrestrial animal products without evidence of marine resource input in the diet. Bivariate and multivariate models used as an additional means to assess diet indicate minor consumption of C4 plant foods in this community. The multivariate-isotope model identified regional similarities and differences in C4 plant/marine food consumption and in dietary protein sources by comparing data from Dalheim with those of other medieval sites from the published literature. We did not observe sex differences in this population but differences in δ15Ncol suggest that juveniles consumed the lowest trophic level protein.
The major components of human diet both past and present may be estimated by measur-
ing the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) of the collagenous proteins in
bone and tooth dentine. However, the results from these two tissues differ substantially:
bone collagen records a multi-year average whilst primary dentine records and retains time-
bound isotope ratios deriving from the period of tooth development. Recent studies har-
nessing a sub-annual temporal sampling resolution have shed new light on the individual
dietary histories of our ancestors by identifying unexpected radical short-term dietary
changes, the duration of breastfeeding and migration where dietary change occurs, and by
raising questions regarding factors other than diet thatmay impact on δ13C and δ15N val-
ues. Here we show that the dentine δ13C and δ15N profiles of workhouse inmates dating
from the Great Irish Famine of the 19th century not only record the expected dietary change
from C3 potatoes to C4 maize, but when used together they also document prolonged nutri-
tional and other physiological stress resulting from insufficient sustenance. In the adults, the
influence of the maize-based diet is seen in the δ13C difference between dentine (formed in
childhood) and rib (representing an average from the last few years of life). The demon-
strated effects of stress on the δ13C and δ15N values will have an impact on the interpreta-
tions of diet in past populations even in slow-turnover tissues such as compact bone. This
technique also has applicability in the investigation of modern children subject to nutritional
distress where hair and nails are unavailable or do not record an adequate period of time.
Stable isotopes (C, N, H and S) chemically record information in bone about numerous aspects of past human lives, such as diet, residence and migration. Although widely applied, few stable isotope studies have been carried out for palaeodietary research using Norwegian material, and none from the southwest coast. The first animal and human stable isotope values from the Norwegian Stavanger region are presented in this study, revealing changes in dietary habits through a period of cultural, religious and economic changes in Norway, from the 9th century AD to the post-reformation period (17th century/early 18th century AD). 14C-datings of some skeletons that gave ages between AD 800–1150 (calibrated, 2 sigma) raise questions about their origin and the expansion of Christianity. The stable isotope results indicate a high protein diet with a substantial amount of marine input. Across the centuries, changing dietary patterns emerge that are probably related to changes in Christian rituals and people's lifestyle. The intensification of fishing activities that characterises medieval Europe is also visible in the isotopic record of Stavanger. The multi-proxy approach in this study proved useful as the addition of hydrogen stable isotopic data allows for improved interpretation of the palaeodiet, whereas sulphur stable isotope data needs further exploration in order to indicate possible migration.
Persons affected by leprosy or by disabilities face forms of stigma that have an impact on their lives. This study seeks to establish whether their experiences of stigma are similar, with a view to enabling the two groups of people to learn from each other. Accounts of experiences of the impact of stigma were obtained using in-depth interviews and focus group discussion with people affected by leprosy and by disabilities not related to leprosy. The analysis shows that there are a lot of similarities in impact of stigma in terms of emotions, thoughts, behaviour, and relationships between the two groups. The main difference is that those affected by leprosy tended to frame their situation in medical terms, while those living with disabilities described their situation from a more social perspective. In conclusion, the similarities offer opportunities for interventions and the positive attitudes and behaviours can be modelled in the sense that both groups can learn and benefit. Research that tackles different aspects of stigmatization faced by both groups could lead to inclusive initiatives that help individuals to come to terms with the stigma and to advocate against exclusion and discrimination.
This paper is a study of diet and subsistence among Mesolithic and Early Neolithic populations in the Iron Gates section of the Danube Valley, with emphasis on the sites of Lepenski Vir and Vlasac in Serbia and Schela Oadovei in Romania. The first part of the paper reviews the evidence of animal and plant residues and human skeletal indicators; the second presents new data from stable isotopic analyses of human bone supported by AMS 14C dates. Isotopic and dental evidence suggest that Mesolithic people prior to 7600 BP had high protein diets in which the bulk of the protein was derived from riverine food sources. Significant differences are evident between the isotopic signals of Mesolithic males and females buried at Vlasac and Lepenski Vir, indicating differences in overall diet. These differences are most easily explained in terms of movement of individuals between groups, linked to the practice of local group exogamy. A shift in dietary pattern occurred at Lepenski Vir between ca 7600 and 7300 BP. The bone chemistry of individuals post-dating 7300 BP reflects the intake of significantly higher proportions of terrestrial foods. This change may reflect the introduction of stock-raising and/or cultivation in the Iron Gates. If so, then the transition from Late Mesolithic to Neolithic at Lepenski Vir was not characterised by a wholesale shift in subsistence from foraging to farming; the earliest Neolithic inhabitants of the site continued to obtain a significant proportion of their dietary protein from riverine resources. The wider implications of the AMS dates and stable isotopic data are also considered.
In 1982, Chisholm et al. used δ13C data for human burials from shell midden sites widely distributed on the coast of British Columbia (BC) to show the extreme dependence of these individuals on high trophic level marine consumers, principally salmon and marine mammals. Here, we present previously unpublished analyses of δ15N for some of the same individuals as well as δ13C data for additional individuals. Nitrogen isotope data show that the diet was dominated by high trophic level marine fauna including carnivorous fish and marine mammals. Although most burials were found in shell middens, marine mollusks made up of only a minor component of diet. The data for δ13C demonstrate that terrestrial faunal foods are undetectable in the diet of the majority of individuals, and seldom constitute more than 10% of the dietary protein of individuals living on the coast although terrestrial fauna were widely available as a potential source of protein. This dietary pattern of exclusion of land-based animals from their diet persisted for almost 6,000 years along a wide expanse of coastline. In contrast, people from the BC interior (100 km or more from the coast) consumed a mixed diet of terrestrial and marine foods including spawning salmon. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nine burials excavated from the Magdalen Hill Archaeological Research Project (MHARP) in Winchester, UK, showing skeletal signs of lepromatous leprosy (LL) have been studied using a multidisciplinary approach including osteological, geochemical and biomolecular techniques. DNA from Mycobacterium leprae was amplified from all nine skeletons but not from control skeletons devoid of indicative pathology. In several specimens we corroborated the identification of M. leprae with detection of mycolic acids specific to the cell wall of M. leprae and persistent in the skeletal samples. In five cases, the preservation of the material allowed detailed genotyping using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Three of the five cases proved to be infected with SNP type 3I-1, ancestral to contemporary M. leprae isolates found in southern states of America and likely carried by European migrants. From the remaining two burials we identified, for the first time in the British Isles, the occurrence of SNP type 2F. Stable isotope analysis conducted on tooth enamel taken from two of the type 3I-1 and one of the type 2F remains revealed that all three individuals had probably spent their formative years in the Winchester area. Previously, type 2F has been implicated as the precursor strain that migrated from the Middle East to India and South-East Asia, subsequently evolving to type 1 strains. Thus we show that type 2F had also spread westwards to Britain by the early medieval period.
A new method for estimation of age-at-death based on the degree of suture closure is presented. The method employs simple ectocranial scoring of specific sites on the external table. Composite scores for two groups of sutures, lateral-anterior and vault systems, which are used to provide estimates of age-at-death, have been developed from a sample of 236 crania from the Hamann-Todd Collection. A variety of tests show that the lateralanterior sutures are superior to the sutures of the vault, that ectocranial is superior to endocranial observation, and that age estimates are independent of race and sex. It is concluded that suture closure can provide valuable estimates of age-at-death in both archaeological and forensic contexts when used in conjunction with other skeletal age indicators.
This paper explores the potential of stable isotope analysis to identify the approximate region of catch of cod by analysing bones from medieval settlements in northern and western Europe. It measures the δ13C and δ15N values of cod bone collagen from medieval control samples collected from sites around Arctic Norway, the North Sea, the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea. These data were considered likely to differ by region due to, for example, variation in the length of the food chain, water temperature and salinity. We find that geographical structuring is indeed evident, making it possible to identify bones from cod caught in distant waters. These results provide a new methodology for studying the growth of long-range trade in dried cod and the related expansion of fishing effort—important aspects of the development of commercialisation in medieval Europe. As a first test of the method, we analyse three collections of cod bones tentatively interpreted as imported dried fish based on a priori zooarchaeological criteria. The results tentatively suggest that cod were being transported or traded over very long distances since the end of the first millennium AD.
Here we present the stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen measured in bone collagen extracted from humans, dogs, herbivores and fish from Mesolithic and Neolithic coastal and inland sites in Denmark. Bones of freshwater fish from several Early Mesolithic lake-side sites have δ13C values surprisingly similar to those seen in marine fish. We propose a model, based on δ13C and δ15N, for the correction for both marine and hard water reservoir effect in radiocarbon dates. A strong reliance on aquatic protein is demonstrated for the Mesolithic inhabitants of the region from the middle of the Early Mesolithic onwards. A significant part of the protein in the diets of the dogs and humans from the Middle and Late Mesolithic was of marine origin, even at inland sites. This observation points to a high degree of (seasonal) coast-inland mobility. The isotopic evidence indicates that during the Neolithic small quantities of aquatic foods were still common sources of dietary protein.
We report here the results of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of human and faunal remains from La Vergne (Charente-Maritime, western France), a rare Early Mesolithic burial site (ca. 8500–8000 cal BC). The results for nine humans (average δ13C = −19.3‰; δ15N = 9.4‰) indicate a strongly terrestrial diet, dominated by animal protein, with the possibility of, at best, a slight contribution of marine-derived protein. Given lower sea-levels in the early Holocene, the site would have been some 60–80 km from the sea at the time of its use; nevertheless, contacts with the coast are shown by the presence of numerous marine shell beads in the graves. In the light of the stable isotope results, it is suggested here that such contacts most likely took the form of exchange with coastal communities whose remains now lie underwater.
Food and diet are central to understanding daily life in the middle ages. In the last two decades, the potential for the study of diet in medieval England has changed markedly: historians have addressed sources in new ways; material from a wide range of sites has been processed by zooarchaeologists and archaeobotanists; and scientific techniques, newly applied to the medieval period, are opening up possibilities for understanding the cumulative effects of diet on the skeleton. In a multi-disciplinary approach to the subject, this volume, written by leading experts in different fields, unites analysis of the historical, archaeological, and scientific record to provide an up-to-date synthesis. The volume covers the whole of the middle ages from the early Saxon period up to c.1540, and while the focus is on England wider European developments are not ignored. The first aim of the book is to establish how much more is now known about patterns of diet, nutrition, and the use of food in display and social competition; its second is to promote interchange between the methodological approaches of historians and archaeologists. The text brings together much original research, marrying historical and archaeological approaches with analysis from a range of archaeological disciplines, including archaeobotany, archaeozoology, osteoarchaeology, and isotopic studies.
Anthropology as a discipline is rapidly becoming more quantitative, and anthropology students are now required to develop sophisticated statistical skills. This book provides students of anthropology with a clear, step-by-step guide to univariate statistical methods, demystifying the aspects that are often seen as difficult or impenetrable. Explaining the central role of statistical methods in anthropology and using only anthropological examples, the book provides a solid footing in statistical techniques. Beginning with basic descriptive statistics, this new edition also covers more advanced methods such as analyses of frequencies and variance, simple and multiple regression analysis with dummy and continuous variables. It addresses commonly encountered problems such as small samples and non-normality. Each statistical technique is accompanied by clearly worked examples and the chapters end with practice problem sets. Many of the datasets are available for download at www.cambridge.org/9780521147088.
The relationship between 13 C content of human bone and the marine fraction in the individual diet is well established. In the present investigation human skeletons from inland and coastal areas in Norway were analyzed. Both regional and chronologic differences are revealed, and larger variability than expected at specific sites indicate more complex cultural adaptations than earlier recognized. Extremely high δ 13 C values, comparable with those obtained from Eskimo sites, are found for material from Early Stone Age fishing/hunting communities.
The Importance of Proteins in Biomolecular ArchaeologyProtein Structure and SynthesisStudying Proteins by Immunological Methods
Studying Proteins by Proteomic Methods
Stable isotope ratios have been widely used to infer past diets, domestication and husbandry practices of pigs, but few studies have addressed the proper baselines for such inferences.
We analysed the diet of pig Sus scrofa from stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) values of collagen from, urban Bergen, Norway (1300–1400AD). These were compared with values from Skipshelleren (5500BC–200AD); and from other medieval sites in NW Europe.
Results indicated that the pigs from Bergen ate a very high proportion of marine protein compared to pigs and wild boar from Skipshelleren who ate a diet primarily of plant material.
Results from other medieval sites in NW Europe show considerable variation in δ13C and δ15N values, indicating large variations in diet. However, none of the values are consistent with a diet wholly dominated by plant material; and therefore pig husbandry through outspan herding (pannage) without supplementary feeding. We question interpretations to the contrary, which neglect the role of known differences in dietary fractionation between species in producing δ13C and δ15N values of tissue. Data from domestic pigs of ancient breeds undoubtedly raised by outspan herding/pannage are so far unavailable and would be instructive.
This paper examines the osteoarchaeological evidence for leprosy in 38 skeletons excavated from the north cemetery of the hospital of St Mary Magdalen, Winchester (founded by the late 11th century) between 2009 and 2011. This cemetery, to the north of the medieval chapel, represents a discrete burial area, separate from the main, more recent cemetery to the south. The analysis indicates skeletal evidence for leprosy in over 85% (33) of the burials. This is therefore a much larger percentage than has previously been recorded for British material. The skeletal remains also provide evidence for amputation, possible palliative care as well as a pilgrim burial. Overall work at Winchester represents the most extensive excavation of an early leper hospital with accompanying cemetery to date, providing a unique opportunity for the cross-examination of skeletal and contextual data. Therefore the St Mary Magdalen cemetery is discussed in reference to such issues as the status of leper hospitals and social perceptions of hospital inmates in the medieval period.
The goal of this research is to explore status-based differences in diet of the peasants, monks and elites interred at the medieval Cistercian monastery of Øm Kloster. In order to accomplish this task bone samples were taken from 98 individuals from the monastery for the stable isotopic analysis of carbon and nitrogen found in both bone collagen and apatite. Significant differences were found in the diet of these three groups. Elites demonstrated significantly enriched δ15N and δ13C values and had the smallest δ13Ccoll–ap spacing in comparison to the peasant and monastic population. Although there were no changes in the diet of the elite or peasant population through time, the monastic diet shifted from resembling the diet of the peasant population early in the period to more closely matching that of the elites at the close of the period, although small sample size precluded the significance testing of this shift. This research suggests that social status played a considerable role in the types and quantity of food resources available to a given individual in society and that there were some socially based differences in the medieval Danish diet.
This review focuses on nerve damage in leprosy. We present evidence to support the argument that leprosy is best seen as a chronic neurological condition rather than a simple skin disease. Nerve damage affects small dermal nerves and peripheral nerve trunks. Perineural inflammation is a characteristic and hallmark of early leprosy. T cell-mediated inflammation is the main pathological process in leprosy nerve damage. The level of nerve damage in leprosy is high with up to 60% of multibacillary patients having clinically apparent nerve damage at the time of diagnosis; 30% of patents may develop further nerve damage during treatment and 10% may develop new nerve damage after drug treatment. Since the nerve damage is immune mediated, the antibiotics used to treat Mycobacterium leprae infection have little effect on the accompanying nerve damage. This requires treatment with immunosuppressants to stop the inflammation. Treatment of nerve damage with steroids can be effective but about 50% of patients relapse and require a further course of steroids. Research is needed to refine steroid regimens to be used and define appropriate alternatives. Neuropathic pain is now being recognised as another late complication for leprosy patients. There are also service challenges relating to how best to identify patients who need steroid treatment and how to manage patients with established neuropathy who may require health services for many years.
In Sigtuna, Sweden, several medieval cemeteries have been excavated, from which approximately 800 skeletons have been excavated and analysed. Archaeological finds and anthropological analyses have exposed social differences between the cemeteries. Stable isotope analyses have shown that the inhabitants of the town consumed a mixed diet. Significant differences in dietary patterns between the cemeteries may be related to social stratification.In the outskirts of a churchyard excavated in 2006, bone changes showing systemic inflammatory disease indicative of leprosy were observed in six individuals. The burial location suggests that the affected belonged to a lower social stratum. Bone samples were taken from these six individuals, 19 other human skeletons and five animals from the same cemetery for analysis of the stable isotope composition of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S).The results showed no significant differences in δ13C and δ15N values between the groups, i.e. the seemingly healthy humans and the humans affected by severe inflammatory disease appear to have had similar diets. Nor was a significant difference observed in δ34S data between the six affected individuals and the rest of the sample, implying that no difference in origins could be observed between the two groups studied. However, a comparison between the present study and the previous analysis resulted in significant differences in carbon values.Based on the results obtained in this investigation it is suggested that if a dietary difference existed between people in the outskirts of a cemetery (for example those suffering from leprosy) and people buried in higher ranked regions, it was not a difference in food source but rather in other parameters. Instead dietary differences and possibly social variations are demonstrated between cemeteries. The results from the present study highlight the hierarchical arrangements of social classes in the early medieval society.
Archaeological fish bones reveal increases in marine fish utilisation in Northern and Western Europe beginning in the 10th and 11th centuries AD. We use stable isotope signatures from 300 archaeological cod (Gadus morhua) bones to determine whether this sea fishing revolution resulted from increased local fishing or the introduction of preserved fish transported from distant waters such as Arctic Norway, Iceland and/or the Northern Isles of Scotland (Orkney and Shetland). Results from 12 settlements in England and Flanders (Belgium) indicate that catches were initially local. Between the 9th and 12th centuries most bones represented fish from the southern North Sea. Conversely, by the 13th to 14th centuries demand was increasingly met through long distance transport – signalling the onset of the globalisation of commercial fisheries and suggesting that cities such as London quickly outgrew the capacity of local fish supplies.
The quality of bone collagen extracts is central to the14C dating and isotope palaeodietary analysis of bone. The intactness and purity of the extracted gelatin (“collagen”) is strongly dependent on the extent of diagenetic degradation, contamination and the type of extraction method. Possible chemical, elemental and isotopic parameters for the assessment of “collagen” quality are discussed. The most important distinction that can be made is the one between contaminated bone (mostly from temperate zones), and bone low in collagen content (mostly from arid and tropical zones). The latter shows more variability in all quality parameters than the former. The natural level of contamination is mostly so low that stable isotopic measurements are not impaired, although14C measurements can be. It is concluded that there is no unequivocal way to detect natural levels of contamination with the discussed parameters, although their use can identify many cases. In low “collagen” bone, the parameters can identify the great majority of problematic samples: although deviations in these parameters do not necessarily mean isotopic alterations, the increased background found in these samples makes most samples unusable.
Since its introduction in 19771, stable isotope analysis of bone collagen has been widely used to reconstruct aspects of prehistoric human and animal diets2–11. This method of dietary analysis is based on two well-established observations, and on an assumption that has never been tested. The first observation is that bone collagen 13C/12C and 15N/14N ratios reflect the corresponding isotope ratio of an animal's diet1–5,12. The second is that groups of foods have characteristically different 13C/12C and/or 15N/14N ratios13,14. Taken together, the two observations indicate that the isotope ratios of collagen in the bones of a living animal reflect the amounts of these groups of foods that the animal ate. Thus, it has been possible to use fresh bone collagen 13C/12C ratios to determine the relative consumption of C3 and C4 plants15–17, while 13C/12C and 15N/14N ratios have been used to distinguish between the use of marine and terrestrial foods14. The 15N/14N ratios of fresh bone collagen probably also reflect the use of leguminous and non-leguminous plants as food5, but this has not yet been demonstrated. Prehistoric consumption of these same groups of foods has been reconstructed from isotope ratios of collagen extracted from fossil bone1–11. Implicit in the application of the isotopic method to prehistoric material is the assumption that bone collagen isotope ratios have not been modified by postmortem processes. Here I present the first examination of the validity of this assumption. The results show that postmortem alteration of bone collagen isotope ratios does occur, but that it is possible to identify prehistoric bones whose collagen has not undergone such alteration.
Criteria are presented for the identification of diagenetic alteration of carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of bone and tooth collagen prepared by a widely used method. Measurements of collagen concentrations in tooth and bone, atomic C:N ratios, and carbon and nitrogen concentrations in collagen of 359 historic and prehistoric African humans, and modern and prehistoric East African non-human mammals are described. Carbon isotope ratios of collagen lipids from four bones are also presented. Compared to bone, whole teeth have significantly lower collagen concentrations, lower carbon and nitrogen concentrations in collagen, and similar C:N ratios. Carbon and nitrogen concentrations and C:N ratios are relatively constant over a wide range of collagen concentrations. However, prehistoric specimens with very low collagen concentrations have highly variable C:N ratios, very low carbon and nitrogen concentrations in collagen, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios unlike collagen. At the transition from well-preserved to poorly preserved collagen the most reliable indicator of collagen preservation is the concentration of carbon and nitrogen in collagen. Concentrations of C and N drop abruptly by an order of magnitude at this transition point. These attributes provide simple criteria for assessing sample quality. Since collagen preservation can vary greatly within prehistoric sites, these attributes should be reported for each specimen. Use of purification procedures that remove acid- and base-soluble contaminants and particulate matter (carbonates, fulvic acids, lipids, humic acids, sediments and rootlets) are recommended. Wider adoption of these procedures would insure comparability of results between laboratories, and permit independent and objective evaluation of sample preservation, and more precise dietary, climatic, and habitat interpretations of collagen isotopic analyses.
Prey-predator collagen enrichment values for carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions are investigated. New enrichment values are given for the well-monitored ecosystem of Bialowieza primeval forest (Poland) for lynx and wolf. The impact of using different approximations in calculating such enrichment values is discussed. Several case studies of ancient vertebrate communities from Upper Palaeolithic sites in southwestern France are presented to check whether the enrichment values estimated for these past ecosystems are consistent with those measured in well-monitored modern ecosystems. The use of ranges of values rather than average ones is recommended, tentatively 0 to 2‰ for δ13C and 3 to 5‰ for δ15N. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
After reviewing various systems of age determination based on analysis of the pubic bone, the discussion concentrates on the
collection and preparation of an extensive autopsy sample (n=1225) of pubic bones from modern individuals with legal documentation
of age at death (death and/or birth certificates). TheSuchey-Brooks method derived from this sample is described. TheAcsádi-Nemeskéri system is evaluated in terms of the documented collection and it is seen that their five stage method focuses only on the
early and late morphological changes. The intermediate stages, in which the ventral rampart is in process of completion, are
not described. Their suggested age ranges do not correspond with the documented modern sample. Based on these limitations
of theAcsádi-Nemeskéri method, applications of theSuchey-Brooks system are discussed.
Human bone collagen stable isotope analysis of humans from coastal Mesolithic sites in Scotland, Denmark, France and Portugal indicates the importance of marine foods in the diet. We define the expected human δ13C and δ15N values of 100% marine and 100% terrestrial diets and conclude that at most sites isotope variability is due to differing proportions of these defined marine and terrestrial diets, rather than due to differences in the actual types of marine and terrestrial foods exploited. By comparing the European human values with marine faunal values, and values of marine-diet humans from North America, we propose that the marine component of human diet in the Late European Mesolithic was based mainly on marine fish, with only minor contributions from shellfish or marine mammals.
This study investigates the diet of the Roman and Late Roman population of Leptiminus on the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of human bone collagen and carbonate samples obtained from individuals buried in four cemeteries at Leptiminus was conducted in order to reconstruct the diet of the population, investigate the relative importance of marine vs. terrestrial resources, explore sex-, age-, and status-based variations in diet, examine temporal changes in the types of foods consumed, and compare the diet at Leptiminus with that of other Roman populations. The results of this study indicate that the residents of Leptiminus consumed a diet that was heavily reliant on terrestrial plant resources with the addition of a significant amount of marine resources. There were no significant sex differences in isotope values. In contrast, distinct dietary differences were seen between the adults and children. Nitrogen isotope values suggest that weaning began before the age of two and was completed by about 3 years of age, a finding consistent with previous isotopic studies of Roman samples. A temporal shift in diet is suggested by the nitrogen isotope values measured in samples from the most recent cemetery. A comparison of the data from Leptiminus with that derived from other Roman sites indicates that regional variability in diet existed within the Empire.
In this pilot-study, which was designed to assess the range of isotopic variation in English medieval populations, we present the results of stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen of human and animal bone collagen from three later medieval sites in Northern England.The isotopic values observed for the rural hospital of St. Giles by Brompton Bridge (N. Yorks.), the Augustinian Friary at Warrington and a mass-grave with casualties from the Battle of Towton (N. Yorks.) are significantly different from those reported for other archaeological populations in Britain, namely by their very enriched δ15N ratios which are combined with almost entirely terrestrial carbon signals. We discuss possible explanations for the unusual human data and argue on grounds of the available faunal data, that a mixed diet of terrestrial, marine and freshwater resources is most likely. This may indicate the significant impact of the medieval fasting regulations on everyday subsistence. We conclude that stable isotope analysis can complement the available historical information on diet in the Middle Ages.
The aim of this research is to explore regional and temporal patterning in diet in medieval Danish populations. δ15N, δ13Ccoll, δ13Cap values were obtained from 154 human bone samples from three sites located in the Jutland peninsula of Denmark. These sites span the medieval period. The results suggest that the medieval Danish diet was composed of C3 plants, terrestrial animals, and freshwater and marine fish in varying amounts. The data also suggest some regional patterning in diet, but little temporal differences in the composition of diet.
Archaeological samples of human and faunal remains dating from the Viking (9–11th century AD) and Early Christian (11–12th century AD) periods of Gotland, Sweden were assayed through stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis in order to investigate whether changes in subsistence occurred between these periods, particularly regarding the importance of seafood. The study was concerned with how the dietary regime of the Baltic trading port and farming settlement at Ridanäs, Gotland was affected by the widespread environmental and sociocultural transformations that characterized the end of the Viking Age. More generally, the research considers how changes in both food procurement and preference may account for observed differences in the dietary regimes of individuals from the Viking Age and the Early Christian period.
The increasing application of the Bayesian approach for the interpretation of radiocarbon dates over the past decade has led to the production of more precise chronologies for archaeological sites. This has highlighted the practical significance of some scientific aspects of radiocarbon dating. The potential importance of one of these, the sources of the carbon component of human bone collagen, is demonstrated by a recent application of radiocarbon dating in medieval Norwich.
A systematic dietary investigation during Danish Roman Iron Age (1-375AD) is conducted by analyzing stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ(13) C) and nitrogen (δ(15) N) in the collagen of human and animal bone. The human sample comprises 77 individuals from 10 burial sites. In addition 31 samples of mammals and fish were analyzed from same geographical area. The investigation characterizes the human diet among different social groupings and analyses dietary differences present between sex, age, and site phase groups. Diachronically, the study investigates the Roman influences that had an effect on social structure and subsistence economy in both the Early and Late Period. Geographically the locations are both inland and coastal. The isotopic data indicate extremely uniform diet both between and within population groups from Early and Late Roman periods and the data are consistent throughout the Roman Iron Age. Protein consumption was dominated by terrestrial animals with no differences among social status, age, sex, or time period, while terrestrial plant protein only seems to have contributed little in the diet. Furthermore, the consumption of marine or aquatic resources does not seem to have been important, even among the individuals living next to the coast.