Abstract
Carbon and nitrogen isotope profiles were obtained from incremental dentine analysis of 19 non‐adults from a cemetery in Riga, Latvia. The research compared the life histories and diet between people buried in two mass graves and the general cemetery. The δ13C profiles of several children from the mass graves were similar but did not resemble the patterns seen in children from the general cemetery, suggesting that they probably represented a different population group. The rise in δ15N values towards the end of the life of four individuals from one mass grave suggests they were victims of an historically documented famine.
Highlights
This study is based on 19 non-adult individuals excavated from St Gertrude Church cemetery in Riga, Latvia (Fig. 1)
Collagen yields for each tooth were > 15%, with atomic ratios between 3.1 and 3.4, which is comparable with previous studies of incremental dentine collagen (Beaumont et al 2013) and indicated sufficient well-preserved collagen (DeNiro 1985; van Klinken 1999), given that modern dentine is about 18% collagen by weight (Veis 1989)
Non-adult mean incremental δ13C values ranged from À21.1‰ (GC134) to À19.2‰ (MG2_508), and mean δ15N values from 10.1‰ (MG1_156) to 13.4‰ (MG2_508), revealing high individual, rather than intercontextual, variability
Summary
This study is based on 19 non-adult individuals excavated from St Gertrude Church cemetery in Riga, Latvia (Fig. 1). The site offered a rare opportunity to study short-term dietary changes from birth to death in children who died during a mass mortality event, and to explore several aspects of life and death in this suburban community by applying high-resolution incremental dentine analysis. Historical background The Church of St Gertrude is first mentioned in historical sources in 1413. It was built outside the old centre of Riga, and its main purpose was to provide shelter for travellers. It became the main church for the suburban Gertrude village, named after the church. The close proximity of the village to Riga, which was a key trading centre during the post-
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
