Transition from the late Roman period to the early Anglo-Saxon period in the Upper Thames Valley based on stable isotopes
Following the argument of cultural change between the Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon periods in Britain, the purpose of this thesis is to find evidence of change in human diet and animal husbandry in the Upper Thames Valley across this boundary. Research questions are set to find differences in human diet, animal diet, and birth seasonality of herbivores at Horcott, a site showing human activity in both periods. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements on collagen from humans and livestock animals and enamel carbonate extracted from herbivores were analysed. Results showed changes in the diets of cattle, sheep/goats, pigs, and human, and birth seasonality of cattle and sheep/goats. These changes were argued to have been caused by differences in the intensity of fertilising crop fields, the amount of animal protein fed to adult pigs, the amount of non-local food in human diet, and the significance and purpose of livestock rearing and the preference of dairy products. The outcome of this thesis enhances the understanding of: a) the strategy and the amount of human effort put into crop cultivation and livestock management; b) the availability and preference of food for humans depending on the period; and
Sakai, Yurika
Stable isotopes--Analysis ; bone collagen ; livestock management ; human diet ; tooth enamel sequential sampling ; birth seasonality
Transition from the late Roman period to the early Anglo-Saxon period in the Upper Thames Valley based on stable isotopes. Following the argument of cultural change between the Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon periods in Britain, the purpose of this thesis is to find evidence of change in human diet and animal husbandry in the Upper Thames Valley across this boundary. Research questions are set to find differences in human diet, animal diet, and birth seasonality of herbivores at Horcott, a site showing human activity in both periods. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope measurements on collagen from humans and livestock animals and enamel carbonate extracted from herbivores were analysed. Results showed changes in the diets of cattle, sheep/goats, pigs, and human, and birth seasonality of cattle and sheep/goats. These changes were argued to have been caused by differences in the intensity of fertilising crop fields, the amount of animal protein fed to adult pigs, the amount of non-local food in human diet, and the significance and purpose of livestock rearing and the preference of dairy products. The outcome of this thesis enhances the understanding of: a) the strategy and the amount of human effort put into crop cultivation and livestock management; b) the availability and preference of food for humans depending on the period; and
transition_late roman_period early_anglo saxon_period upper thames_valley base stable_isotope following argument cultural_change romano british anglo saxon_period britain purpose evidence change human_diet animal_husbandry upper thames_valley across_boundary question set difference human_diet animal diet birth seasonality site show human_activity period stable_carbon nitrogen_isotope measurement collagen human livestock animal enamel carbonate extract herbivore analyse show change diet cattle_sheep pig human birth seasonality cattle_sheep change argue difference intensity crop field amount animal_protein feed adult pig amount non_local food human_diet significance purpose livestock rear preference dairy product outcome enhances strategy amount human effort put crop cultivation livestock management availability preference food human depending period