Abstract
This paper presents the first multi-tissue study of diet in post-medieval London using both the stable light isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen and analysis of microdebris in dental calculus. Dietary intake was explored over short and long timescales. Bulk bone collagen was analysed from humans from the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy (QCS) (n = 66) and the St Barnabas/St Mary Abbots (SB) (n = 25). Incremental dentine analysis was performed on the second molar of individual QCS1123 to explore childhood dietary intake. Bulk hair samples (n = 4) were sampled from adults from QCS, and dental calculus was analysed from four other individuals using microscopy. In addition, bone collagen from a total of 46 animals from QCS (n = 11) and the additional site of Prescot Street (n = 35) was analysed, providing the first animal dietary baseline for post-medieval London. Overall, isotopic results suggest a largely C3-based terrestrial diet for both populations, with the exception of QCS1123 who exhibited values consistent with the consumption of C4 food sources throughout childhood and adulthood. The differences exhibited in δ15Ncoll across both populations likely reflect variations in diet due to social class and occupation, with individuals from SB likely representing wealthier individuals consuming larger quantities of animal and marine fish protein. Microdebris analysis results were limited but indicate the consumption of domestic cereals. This paper demonstrates the utility of a multidisciplinary approach to investigate diet across long and short timescales to further our understanding of variations in social status and mobility.
Highlights
Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain witnessed industrialisation and urbanisation on an unprecedented scale
Samples were subjected to a series of quality controls to ensure the accuracy of the data and assess preservation, and these included a collagen yield of 1% or higher, C/N ratio of 2.9–3.6, %C of ca.15–48% and %N of ca. 5–17% (DeNiro 1985; Ambrose 1993, Ambrose 1990; van Klinken 1999; Sealy et al 2014)
The δ13Ccoll values for sheep/goat and cows from both sites are consistent with expectations that ruminants in postmedieval Britain were raised on C3 fodder, but the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy (QCS) fauna on average are enriched in δ15N when compared to Prescot Street (PS)
Summary
Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain witnessed industrialisation and urbanisation on an unprecedented scale. New transport networks facilitated the movement of people, goods and animals across the country, and important agricultural developments increased both the yield and variety of crops produced (Drummond and Wilbraham 1969; Williamson 2002). During this period, Britain stood at the forefront of these agricultural developments, and its capital city rapidly became an established centre for global trade. Provides an ideal setting to examine dietary habits during this transformative period of history. While written documents attest to the changing nature of diets during this time, bioarchaeological data has the potential to complement or challenge these assumptions by providing insights at the population- or individual-level
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