The first data on the human diet in Late Roman and Early Migration period western Lithuania: Evidence from stable isotope, archaebotanical and zooarchaeological analyses

Abstract

This study presents the results of stable isotope analyses performed on human tooth enamel (δ13C), bone collagen (δ13C and δ15N), and animal bone and tooth dentine collagen (δ13C and δ15N). We sampled archaeological material from Late Roman and Early Migration period settlement and burial sites in western Lithuania. Stable isotope analysis of human teeth demonstrated that human diet was primarily based on herbivorous and omnivorous domestic animals and C3 plants. Also, we established that social stratification was not reflected in the isotopic data. Finally, the data presented in this paper revealed that human diet remained extremely uniform during the Late Roman and Early Migration periods.