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

Abstract

The 9th–early 10th century AD witnessed the rise and fall of the first Slavic proto-state formation, Great Moravia, centered largely in the Morava River basin in today's Czech Republic. Archaeological evidence demonstrates that this early medieval polity depended on an intensive agricultural base, but we know relatively little about the diets actually consumed by the Great Moravian people. Here we report the results of stable isotope analyses of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) on bone collagen from 33 human and 18 faunal remains from the Kostelisko cemetery, located within the sub-castle sector of the Mikulčice settlement agglomeration along the lower Morava River valley. Results indicate that the Mikulčice–Kostelisko diet was based largely on terrestrial resources, including both plant-derived and animal-derived protein. Elevated δ13C values for humans suggest that millet was an important dietary resource, while elevated δ15N values suggest that animal-derived products also contributed to dietary protein.