Bone Collagen Samples Research Articles

Reconstructing the social structure of kinship members in the Central Plains during the Late Shang and Western Zhou dynasties in China: A stable isotopic study on the Xisima site

AbstractKinship plays a role at the grassroots of social organization, especially in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, which is an important research topic in China. However, the relationship between diet and the social status of kinship and kinship members has been little explored in previous studies. In this article, 52 skeletal bone collagen samples from humans and buried dogs from three different kinships in the Xisima cemetery in China were analysed by stable C and N isotope analysis to reveal dietary strategies, and thus explore subsistence patterns and social structure. Overall, the mean human δ13C was −8.4‰ ± 1.3‰ (n = 44), with a range of −10.0‰ to −7.4‰, and the mean δ15N was 9.0‰ ± 0.7‰ (n = 44), with a wide range of 7.9–11.1‰, which shows that C4 food dominates people’s diet, and that their diet was varied. There are differences in diet and rank among different kinships. Similar situations exist among kinship members based on platforms. Along with previous research, this study provides unprecedented dietary details of different social stratification from martyrs, common people and small nobles to high‐ranking nobles in order to better understand the hierarchical Shang and Zhou dynasties society based on kinship.

Life histories in Fiji as reconstructed from first millennium CE Sigatoka Sand Dune burials using isotopes

This paper aims to re-examine the dietary practices of individuals buried at Sigatoka Sand Dunes site (Fiji) in Burial Ground 1 excavated by Simon Best in 1987 and 1988 using two approaches and a reassessment of their archaeological, bioarchaeological and chronological frame. First, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was applied to document dietary changes between childhood and adulthood using an intra–individual approach on paired bone–tooth. Second, the potential adaptation of the individuals to their environment was evaluated through regional and temporal comparisons using inter–individual bone analysis. Ten AMS radiocarbon dates were measured directly on human bone collagen samples, placing the series in a range of approximately 600 years covering the middle of the first millennium CE (1,888 to 1,272 cal BP). δ13C and δ15N ratios were measured on bone and tooth collagen samples from 38 adult individuals. The results show that δ15N values from tooth are higher than those s from bone while bone and tooth δ13C values are similar, except for females. Fifteen individuals were included in an intra–individual analysis based on paired bone and tooth samples, which revealed six dietary patterns distinguished by a differential dietary intake of marine resources and resources at different trophic levels. These highlight sex–specific differences not related to mortuary practices but to daily life activities, supporting the hypothesis of a sexual division of labour. Compared to other Southwest Pacific series, Sigatoka diets show a specific trend towards marine food consumption that supports the hypothesis of a relative food self–sufficiency requiring no interactions with other groups.

Human diet in Lithuania during the Late Roman and Migration periods ( ca. 200–700 AD) based on stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data

In this study, 71 human individuals were subjected to stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of bone collagen samples for the purpose of determining human dietary patterns in Lithuania during the Late Roman and Migration periods. More specifically, based on the isotopic data, the aim was to determine and evaluate any potential dietary differences between individuals on the basis of their sex, age, social status and place of residence during the periods in question. The results of this study suggest that there were isotopically clearly distinguishable dietary differences between individuals from different parts/regions of Lithuania. Also, statistically significant dietary differences (on the basis of δ15N values) between males and females were observed (although, when making the same sex-based isotopic comparisons at an individual site level, the same result was observed only among those from Marvelė cemetery). However, no statistically significant isotopic differences were detected between different social or age groups. Overall, these results give us one of the first glimpses into the types of dietary habits practiced by people in various parts of Lithuania during the Roman and Migration periods, which could also serve as a good starting point for future investigations into other dietary aspects in the territories and periods in question that still remain unknown.

Preliminary Results of Stable Isotope Analysis on Bone Collagen Samples from the Avar-Age Cemetery Privlaka-Gole Njive

The material culture of the Avar era is considered to be one of the best documented Early Medieval material cultures of central Europe. The nomadic Avar community settled in the Carpathian basin at the end of the 6th century and remained as rulers until the Frankish wars at the end of the 8th century. Unlike the neighbouring communities, there is no evidence of the Avars being Christianised, and their relatively conservative burial customs, in which great importance is attached to the costumes of the deceased, have enabled archaeologists not only to create a precise typological-chronological framework but also to analyse the different ways of life of the Khaganate population. Among other things, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses have recently been undertaken to establish and better understand the dietary practices of certain communities. This represents an important factor in social organisation. The authors of this paper conducted a stable isotope analysis of 22 selected bone samples from the Privlaka-Gole njive site, to this date the largest Avar-age inhumation cemetery in Croatia with 231 excavated graves. Overall, it seems that there are no major differences in diet regarding sex, age and social stratification, although females do exhibit slightly lower δ15N values than males, while non-adults and older adults exhibit slightly higher δ15N values than younger adults.

Pre-treatment methods for stable oxygen and carbon isotope analyses of structural carbonates of bones in marine teleost fishes.

Although the proportion of structural carbonates in vertebrate bones is low, the values of isotopes, namely stable oxygen (δ18 O) and carbon (δ13 C), in structural carbonates provide environmental and physiological information, which can be beneficial for estimating the palaeontological and ecological parameters of vertebrates. However, a few studies have analysed the isotopes of structural carbonates in modern teleost fishes, and a well-developed protocol for sample preparation is lacking. We examined different pre-treatment methods of preparing bone samples of three marine teleost fishes (Japanese flounder, Pacific bluefin tuna and yellowtail) and investigated the effects of the cleaning methods on the stable isotope values of structural carbonates among vertebrae in the same individual. Isotope values were analysed using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Physical cleaning was the most promising pre-treatment method and resulted in δ18 O values that were comparable to those of otoliths. Chemical treatments with NaOH and H2 O2 changed the percentage of structural carbonates in the bone and affected δ18 O and δ13 C values. High-temperature treatments, such as boiling and roasting, altered δ18 O values due to the exchange of oxygen with environmental water or vapour. Our results suggest that chemical cleaning methods used to prepare bone phosphate or collagen samples for isotope analyses are not suitable for structural carbonates. Physical cleaning is the appropriate pre-treatment method for analysing the isotopes of structural carbonates. Also, we emphasise that standardising the vertebral number is necessary to make δ13 C values comparable between specimens in the same species.

Children of the grave: Investigating non-adult feeding practices in medieval and early modern Estonia through stable isotope analysis.

Studying infant diet and feeding practices through stable isotope analysis provides direct insight into the life and health of vulnerable population groups in the past. Although the general diet in medieval and early modern Livonia has been reconstructed from written sources, little is known about childhood diet during this tumultuous period of Eastern European history. This study presents a comparative investigation of the staple non-adult diet in urban/rural communities during the 13th-17th centuries AD, with a special focus on feeding practices. We aim to reveal the impact of socio-economic circumstances on early childhood nutrition, which affects the physical development and overall survival of this susceptible population group. Bone collagen samples from 176 individuals between the fetal and the 7-15 age categories from four urban/rural South-Estonian cemeteries were cross-sectionally analyzed via EA-IRMS (Elemental Analysis with Isotope Ratio Mass Spectroscopy) for δ13C and δ15N. Results suggest that South-Estonian children had a staple terrestrial C3 diet integrated with animal proteins. Significant divergences were observed between urban and rural sites and slight variation occurred among rural subgroups, possibly resulting from a wider food choice available in towns, different consumption of C4 foods, and/or secular changes. This study provides the first data regarding infant feeding practices in medieval and early modern Livonia. These practices were similar among the different contexts, indicating comparable cultural traditions in child rearing. Breastfeeding was likely practiced for 1-2 years, with supplementary foods introduced around 1 year of age. The weaning process was probably concluded around the age of 3. The δ13C and δ15N values of older children are comparable to those of the adults from the same sites, indicating their diets became similar after weaning, when they started working and obtained a more mature social status.

Vėlyvojo bronzos amžiaus ekonomika rytų Baltijos regione: naujo modelio link

In this paper, we present the main results of interdisciplinary project that allowed us to formulate a new perspective on the economy of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Baltic region. New excavations at the Late Bronze Age fortified settlements of Garniai 1 (Utena district municipality) and Mineikiškės (Zarasai district municipality) lead us to analyse the economy of the communities in much greater detail and to formulate a more reliable economical model than before. This paper reviews the new results of archaeobotanical investigations of these fortified settlements, as well as δ13C and δ15N data of food remains in Late Bronze Age pottery, grains and animal bone collagen samples. These analyses allowed us to refine and clarify the likely dietary practices of consumers of certain products in the Eastern Baltic region. The paper also publishes new data on the elemental composition and lead isotopes of metalware, thereby adding to our earlier findings These studies show that metallurgy as a specialized activity did not play a significant role in the Late Bronze Age economy, but its emergence was driven by the economic changes of the period. In contrast, the production of high-level bone-antler artifacts reflects the activity of specialized craftsmen in Late Bronze Age settlements. The collection of a new large and varied dataset allows us to determine the lifestyle and dietary habits of the people living in these settlements. By developing a new model of the Late Bronze Age, we present a picture of the interwoven economies of agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, fishing, gathering, metallurgy and bone craftsmanship as a whole, asking what might have influenced the distinctive development of the economy of the eastern Baltic Sea region during the Late Bronze Age.

Multi-isotopic analysis of zooarchaeological material from Estonia (ca. 200-1800 CE): Variation among food webs and geographical regions.

To better comprehend the dietary practices of past populations in the Eastern Baltic region we have created temporally and geographically restricted baselines for the time period of 200-1800 CE. In this multi-isotopic analysis, we report new δ13C, δ15N and δ34S values for 251 faunal bone collagen samples from various archaeological contexts in Estonia representing the most comprehensive set of Iron Age, Medieval and Early Modern Period faunal stable isotope values to date. The results map out the local carbon and nitrogen baselines and define isotopic ranges of local terrestrial, avian and aquatic fauna. We also demonstrate the potential application of sulfur stable isotope analysis in archaeological research. The results demonstrate a clear distinction between δ13C and δ34S values of marine and terrestrial species, however, freshwater fish display notable overlaps with both marine and terrestrial ranges for both δ13C and δ34S values. Herbivores show variation in δ34S values when grouped by region, explained by differences in the local biotopes. This study is the first attempt to connect the Eastern Baltic isotopic baselines and provides more detailed temporal and geographical references to study the local ecologies and interpret the human data.

HUMAN DIET DURING THE STONE AGE AND EARLY METAL PERIOD (7000–1 CAL BC) IN LITHUANIA: AN UPDATE

ABSTRACTIn this study we present new carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope data of human (n=13) and animal (n=40) bone and/or dentine collagen samples, alongside accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dates of human remains (n=16). The studied material was sampled from Lithuanian sites dating from the Late Mesolithic to the pre-Roman Iron Age. For the first time, we present δ13C and δ15N data from Lithuanian freshwater fish as well as AMS 14C, δ13C, and δ15N measurements of human remains from six disturbed graves at the Donkalnis cemetery and from two pre-Roman Iron Age graves. According to the new results, human diet derived protein from the Late Mesolithic to Subneolithic (ca. 7000–2900 cal BC) was primarily based on freshwater fish. While previous macrobotanical and stable isotope studies has suggested that C4 plants, i.e., millet, became more widely used from the Late Bronze Age (1100–500 cal BC), our data suggests that millet consumption may have decreased during the pre-Roman Iron Age (500–1 cal BC) in the southeastern Baltic.

Subsistence shift and socio-economic response to cultural and climate changes among north-central Iberian megalithic groups

The insufficient attention traditionally paid to the complex mortuary biographies of megalithic graves has long obscured a significant amount of synchronic and diachronic information. The Rioja Alavesa region of north-central Iberia holds a number of megalithic graves with large skeletal assemblages that can generally be ordered by internal stratigraphy and/or relatively fine-grained radiocarbon chronologies, providing a rare opportunity to assess the potential of such information. Here, we undertake stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of 125 human and seven animal bone collagen samples from six late prehistoric megalithic graves (La Cascaja, El Sotillo, San Martín, Alto de la Huesera, Chabola de la Hechicera and Longar) which, together with 107 previously published Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic (ca. 3600-2900 BC) bone collagen samples (100 humans and six animals) from the same tombs, are used to explore subsistence trends over time. This approach provides a means to address the socio-economic response of northern Iberian megalithic communities to the cultural and climatic changes occurring in late prehistory. Isotopic data are contextualized using palaeoenvironmental and osteoarchaeological information. The results show a significant shift in diet between the late Middle Neolithic and the Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic that coincides with marked changes in burial practices that are likely related to the transition from mainly pastoral to mixed farming economies. There may also be a change in subsistence between the Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic and the following periods, suggested by differences in δ15N values between the layers of the Alto de la Huesera megalithic grave, as well as in population and funerary dynamics. By contrast, an apparent continuity in subsistence is seen, at least isotopically, from the Middle Chalcolithic to the Bronze Age, despite clear changes in beliefs and socio-economic practices. These findings support the existence of substantial asynchronous changes in lifeways and ideology among Iberian megalithic groups and challenge the traditional idea of a long and uniform stability in late prehistoric northern Iberia.

Human and hutia (Isolobodon portoricensis) interactions in pre-Columbian Hispaniola: The isotopic and morphological evidence

There are certain animal candidates for which researchers have long speculated as having been managed, or possibly domesticated, by indigenous peoples in the pre-Columbian Caribbean, the primary candidate being some members of a group of caviomorph rodents known as hutia (Capromyinae). This study comprises an isotopic and morphological investigation of the potential management of an extinct species endemic to Hispaniola, the Puerto Rican hutia (Isolobodon portoricensis). For comparisons, isotopic analysis was conducted of bone collagen samples examining carbon (∂13Cco) and nitrogen (∂15N) values of I. portoricensis with two other species of endemic hutia, guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), Antillean slider (Trachemys stejnegeri), rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta) and edible rat (Brotomys sp.) from four sites in the Dominican Republic: El Flaco, El Carril, El Cabo and La Entrada. This data was compared to human and dog collagen values available from El Flaco to assess similarities between these groups. Osteometric data was recorded for hutia mandibles, allowing for body mass estimations (n = 230). The findings suggest that some Isolobodon portoricensis specimens possessed carbon (δ13Cco) values similar to humans and dogs at El Flaco, possibly associated with the consumption of agriculturally produced maize. This research does not indicate whether domestication or management of this species was occurring, at least not in a systematic way. Concurrence with palaeoenvironmental and zooarchaeological data from the region in which El Flaco and El Carril are located indicate that indigenous agricultural practices may have affected populations of hutia, perhaps by attracting them and supporting them within anthropogenic mosaic landscapes. The data also suggests that some degree of either purposeful feeding or scavenging from human agricultural plots was occurring and supports some degree of commensalism between humans and Puerto Rican hutia at these sites.

New Record of Terminal Pleistocene Elk/Wapiti (Cervus canadensis) from Ohio, USA

The earliest appearance of elk/wapiti (Cervus canadensis) in eastern North America is not thoroughly documented due to the small number of directly dated remains. Until recently, no absolute dates on elk bone older than 10,000 14C yr BP (11,621 to 11,306 calibrated years (cal yr) BP) were known from this region. The partial skeleton of the Tope Elk was discovered in 2017 during commercial excavation of peat deposits from a small bog in southeastern Medina County, Ohio, United States. Subsequent examination of the remains revealed the individual to be a robust male approximately 8.5 years old at death. The large size of this individual is compared with late Holocene specimens and suggests diminution of elk since the late Pleistocene. Two accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon assays on bone collagen samples taken from the scapula and metacarpal of this individual returned ages of 10,270 ± 30 14C yr BP (Beta-477478) (12,154 to 11,835 cal yr BP) and 10,260 ± 30 14C yr BP (Beta-521748) (12,144 to 11,830 cal yr BP), respectively. These results place Cervus canadensis in the terminal Pleistocene of the eastern woodlands and near the establishment of the mixed deciduous forest biome over much of the region. This early temporal placement also situates this early elk as closely following the last representatives of now-extinct megafauna such as the American mastodon (Mammut americanum) and contemporary with the Late Paleoindian inhabitants of the region.

Isotopic dietary patterns of monks: results from stable isotope analyses of a seventeenth–eighteenth century Basilian monastic community in Vilnius, Lithuania

The aim of the research focuses on reconstructing diet of the seventeenth–eighteenth century Basilian monks who were buried in the crypt beneath the Holy Trinity Uniate Church in Vilnius, Lithuania. For this aim, stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analyses of human bone collagen samples (n = 74, of which 39 yielded reliable isotopic data) were performed. In order to establish the isotopic dietary baseline for the Basilian monks, we sampled faunal bones (n = 47, of which 34 yielded reliable isotopic data) recovered during archaeological investigations in the area around the Vilnius Lower Castle and the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Faunal samples were comprised of various domestic and wild terrestrial animals, freshwater and anadromous fish, and migratory and non-migratory birds. In total, 121 human and faunal samples were analysed. The isotopic data collected in our study suggest that C3 plant and domestic animal products were the main components in the diets of the Basilian monks, while freshwater fish played a noticeable, yet a much smaller dietary role. However, historical sources describe a reverse dietary picture, i.e. a higher dietary contribution from fish and a lower from animal products. The potential reasons for this incongruity between isotopic and historical dietary evidence were also explored. Finally, the isotopic data of the Basilian monks were compared with that of contemporary Lithuanian nobles and commoners. The comparisons indicate that monastic dietary patterns were more similar to those of the nobility than those of the commoners.

Continuation of fishing subsistence in the Ukrainian Neolithic: diet isotope studies at Yasinovatka, Dnieper Rapids

Yasinovatka is one of around 30 prehistoric cemetery sites of fisher-hunter-foragers located along the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine. Dating to c. 5540–4930 cal BC, the skeletal remains at Yasinovatka suggest that around sixty-eight individuals were interred at the cemetery, during three broad phases of interment: A-type burials (c. 5540–4930 cal BC), Ƃ1 pit burials (c. 5550–4750 cal BC), and Ƃ2 pit burials (c. 4980–4460 cal BC). The burials are characterized, in part, by the inclusion of a number of Mariupol-type plates of boar tusk, in addition to deer tooth pendants, Unio shells, knife-like flint blades, Cyprinidae teeth, sherds of Neolithic pottery, and significant deposits of ochre in the later burial pits. Here we analyse δ13C and δ15N values for 50 human bone collagen samples from the site. The majority of the isotope results show a fisher-hunter-forager population reliant predominantly on freshwater aquatic proteins, which is in keeping with previous dietary isotope studies in the area. Two individuals however have δ15N values that are clearly depleted when compared with the main population; these reflect dietary protein intakes based on plant and animal terrestrial resources rather than the predominant focus on aquatic resources. Notably, the δ13C values of these anomalous individuals are not enriched compared with the fauna samples analysed from the region; this supports the possibility that they were incomers to the area, potentially from a nearby agrarian population.

δ13C and δ15N variation on guanacos in Tierra del Fuego: references for terrestrial foodwebs in a high-latitude island

The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) was a key staple hunted by foragers throughout the Holocene in southern South America. Stable isotope analyses provide insights about guanaco long-term ecology. Particularly, the characterization of prey habitat and feeding behavior in the past is of the utmost interest for zooarchaeological models. Therefore, we evaluate δ13C and δ15N variation in guanacos inhabiting different C3 plant communities in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). δ13C and δ15N values derived from bone collagen samples (n = 60), both archeological and modern, serve as geographical markers of forest-steppe environments during the late Holocene. Increased isotopic variation in the middle Holocene could be related either to variations in the terrestrial baseline or to changing dietary behavior of guanacos in a fluctuating environment. Measures of isotopic variability did not clearly correlate to hunting strategies, since areas with similar patterns in the exploitation of guanacos show differences in their isotopic niche size and distribution. Among the samples from the southern coast, there is a strong negative correlation between δ13C and δ15N. This is a trend not observed in herbivores from the forests of continental Patagonia, suggesting that different factors structure natural isotopic variation in guanacos from the Fuegian forest. δ13C and δ15N variation on bone assemblages probably reflect that guanacos fed in confined home-ranges, as it is observed in modern populations, and that hunting activities were developed at patches relatively close to the sites.

Carbon isotope differences between grassland and savanna herbivores reveal environmentally driven rather than phylogenetically conserved niches

AbstractStable isotope analyses provide insights into large herbivore diets. Carbon isotopes are particularly useful for analysing diet given their ability to reflect C3 or C4 photosynthetic pathways and, therefore, distinguish between browser and grazer diets. Although isotopes are useful for comparing diets across a range of spatial and temporal scales, most studies have focused on either interspecific differences within habitats or single species averages across their geographic range. In this study, we use both new and existing carbon isotopic data to compare large mammal herbivore diets across habitat types in southern and east Africa. We examined whether species in the grassland biome of central South Africa had the same carbon isotopic signatures as counterparts from savannas in southern and east Africa. Within the grassland biome, isotopic signatures from faecal samples were strongly correlated with signatures from bone and dentine collagen samples, supporting our approach of comparing faecal data from the grasslands with savanna data obtained mainly through analysis of skeletal materials. Regression analysis comparing grasslands and savannas confirmed that species' isotopic niches within communities were conserved across different geographic regions. However, herbivore δ13C values were generally lower in the grassland compared with the savanna biome, highlighted particularly by the lower δ13C values of several grazer species (but not browsers), indicating greater consumption of C3 vegetation in grasslands. This finding is counter‐intuitive and suggests that non‐woody C3 vegetation may be an important component of grazer diets in the grassland biome. We speculate on various environmental factors, related to food abundance that could underline the pattern.

Milk of ruminants in ceramic baby bottles from prehistoric child graves.

The study of childhood diet, including breastfeeding and weaning, has important implications for our understanding of infant mortality and fertility in past societies1. Stable isotope analyses of nitrogen from bone collagen and dentine samples of infants have provided information on the timing of weaning2; however, little is known about which foods were consumed by infants in prehistory. The earliest known clay vessels that were possibly used for feeding infants appear in Neolithic Europe, and become more common throughout the Bronze and Iron Ages. However, these vessels-which include a spout through which liquid could be poured-have also been suggested to be feeding vessels for the sick or infirm3,4. Here we report evidence for the foods that were contained in such vessels, based on analyses of the lipid 'fingerprints' and the compound-specific δ13C and Δ13C values of the major fatty acids of residues from three small, spouted vessels that were found in Bronze and Iron Age graves of infants in Bavaria. The results suggest that the vessels were used to feed infants with milk products derived from ruminants. This evidence of the foodstuffs that were used to either feed or wean prehistoric infants confirms the importance of milk from domesticated animals for these early communities, and provides information on the infant-feeding behaviours that were practised by prehistoric human groups.

Prey-to-fox isotopic enrichment of 34 S in bone collagen: Implications for paleoecological studies.

The trophic enrichment factor (TEF) is a parameter reflecting the difference in isotopic ratio between a consumer's tissues and diet, used in isotopic ecology and paleoecology to track dietary habits. The TEF of sulfur is believed to be low, but was, until now, only documented in a limited number of taxa. In this study we use a subfossil accumulation of bones from a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) den to verify the TEF for sulfur in fox bone collagen. Collagen was extracted from 30 samples of subfossil bones, including foxes and their prey. The δ34 S values of the bone collagen samples were measured with an elemental analyzer connected to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The TEF was calculated as [Δ34 S = (mean δ34 S in predator) - (mean δ34 S in prey)], using taphonomic indices to estimate the mean diet, and calculated separately for different age classes of the predator. We modeled 12 variants of TEF for different estimations of the diet composition and for three fox age classes (adult, subadult, and juvenile). The estimated TEF values range from -0.54 to +0.03‰ and are similar to TEFs known for other mammals. Absolute TEF values are nearly equal to or lower than the analytical error, which is ±0.4‰. For the first time, we present direct δ34 S data for the bone collagen of a free-living predator and its naturally selected prey. Our results indicate very low or even slightly negative TEF values for sulfur. Furthermore, according to our results, the δ34 S value should not be considered a reliable indicator of trophic position in terrestrial food webs but rather, it should be used to disentangle different food webs based on different primary producers.

An Integrated isotopic study of Early Intermediate Period camelid husbandry in the Santa Valley, Perú

ABSTRACT Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions were determined for camelid bone collagen, hair, and wool (fibre) sampled from textiles from archaeological sites in the Santa Valley (north coast of Perú) occupied during Moche III (El Castillo, A.D. 300−500) and Moche IV (Guadalupito, A.D. 500−700) phases; a small number of camelid bone collagen samples were also analysed from the Late Suchimancillo Phase (A.D. 0−300). These data suggest that localised camelid husbandry was practiced in the Santa Valley from at least the Moche III phase. The nature of camelid husbandry likely involved animals being kept spatially segregated and fed a diverse range of fodder. The isotopic compositions of the bone collagen and wool textiles were very similar, which suggests that the wool that was used to produce the textiles was derived from local camelids rather than being acquired from the highlands. The transition from Moche III to Moche IV, which saw a significant increase in Mochica presence in the Santa Valley, was not accompanied by major changes in camelid husbandry practices. Localised camelid husbandry continued through this transition with minimal change; the prolonged droughts of the sixth century A.D. had no discernable effect on camelid husbandry, probably due to the special hydraulic conditions unique to the Santa Valley.

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope inter- and intra-individual dietary reconstruction from the late 14th to early 18th century site of Alytus, Lithuania.

The Baltic region, particularly Lithuania, was a politically vibrant area of Eastern Europe during the medieval and early modern period. To better understand the diet of Lithuanians during the late 14th to early 18th century, we examine stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone and dentin samples from the site of Alytus. We investigate possible dietary differences based on sex, age, and religious practice, as well as dietary changes throughout an individual's lifetime, within the broader European milieu. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was conducted on bone (n = 35) and dentin (n = 38) collagen samples from a total of 39 individuals buried in the cemetery at Alytus (late 14th to early 18th centuries). Results indicate individuals at Alytus consumed a C3 terrestrial based diet. The δ13 C and δ15 N values are not significantly different between bone and dentin, and did not vary by sex. The diet at Alytus was homogeneous between males and females and between tissue types. The lack of evidence indicating substantial consumption of fish is unexpected given widespread Catholic fasting practices and marine resource trade throughout Europe. Comparisons with other populations indicate that individuals from Alytus differ in diet from contemporaneous Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth elites. Comparison of the diets of non-elite individuals in the Eastern Baltic region also reveals dietary variability.