Multi-isotopic study of diet and mobility in the northeastern Nile Delta

Chris Stantis,Nina Maaranen,Colin Macpherson,Silvia Prell,Manfred Bietak,Holger Schutkowski,Arwa Kharobi

doi:10.1007/s12520-021-01344-x

Abstract

The origin of the Hyksos dynasty (c. 1638–1530 BCE) is thought to be rooted in the Near East given the architectural features and burial customs present at the site of Tell el-Dabca, identified as the capital of Hyksos rule in the Eastern Delta of Egypt. We expand previous 87Sr/86Sr research on the site’s cemetery assemblage using a multi-isotopic methodology: oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13Ccarb) stable isotopes from the carbonate portion of tooth enamel (n = 75), along with collagen (δ13Ccoll, δ15N) analysis of dentine and bone (n = 31). Pairing δ18O with previous 87Sr/86Sr data identifies 60% of the cohort as non-locals (45/75). Although there were a greater proportion of non-local females (24/30, 80%) compared to males (10/20, 50%), there were no significant differences between the sexes in δ13Ccarb or δ18Ocarb values. There were no spatial patterns regarding the three cemetery sites, nor any observable patterns regarding where non-locals were interred in the largest excavated cemetery, Area A/II. Both first-generation immigrants and individuals from the northeastern Nile Delta were buried following elite Asiatic burial customs, suggesting continuation of foreign burial culture. All collagen showed poor preservation; δ13Ccoll and δ15N analysis were not possible. δ13Ccarb showed no significant difference between locals and non-local diet, although non-locals at Tell el-Dabca did eat a broader variety of foods as a group, suggested by a wider δ13Ccarb range (− 13.5 to − 9.6‰ in non-locals compared to locals’ − 12.1 to − 10.3‰). If there is a difference in food culture between immigrants and native Egyptians, it was not observable using isotopic analyses.

Highlights

During the so-called Hyksos Period and its prelude (c. 1750– 1530 BCE), Egypt was confronted with two unprecedented phenomena: the migration of a substantial foreign population into the Eastern Delta from the late Middle Kingdom onwardsStable isotopes, especially those that can identify individuals who spent part of their lives outside of the location where they were buried, can contribute data for identifying first-generation immigration
Burial style and grave goods are a longstanding method of identifying migrants through evidenced practice of cultural transmission (Laneri 2007), and the isotopic results in this study suggest that even individuals born and raised in the northeastern Nile Delta continued Levantine burial customs
Collagen from bone and dentine did not survive the burial environment for stable isotope analysis, but δ18O and δ13C from carbonate provided some evidence of diet and mobility in the northeastern Nile Delta

Summary

Introduction

1750– 1530 BCE), Egypt was confronted with two unprecedented phenomena: the migration of a substantial foreign population into the Eastern Delta from the late Middle Kingdom onwards Stable isotopes, especially those that can identify individuals who spent part of their lives outside of the location where they were buried, can contribute data for identifying first-generation immigration. In addition to ‘traditional’ isotopes for mobility, food choices might pinpoint first-generation immigrants if they maintained their homeland cuisine and if their homeland cuisine is sufficiently isotopically different from local diet. This line of research relates to dietary acculturation, the process of consuming an increasing proportion of foods native to the host country (Satia-Abouta et al 2002). Isotopic identification of first-generation immigrants grants opportunity to investigate this phenomenon and consider the potential causes and consequences of food choice and availability in immigrants

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Discussion

Conclusion