Stable isotope evidence for diet change in Roman and Medieval Italy : local, regional and continental perspectives
This thesis investigated dietary change in Roman and Medieval Europe c. AD 1-1500 using stable isotope analysis of humans and animals. Historical and archaeological data present two possibilities for how the social, political and economic changes of this period may have affected food practices. One argument suggests the population collapse and economic depression of the Early Medieval period increased the availability and consumption of meat. The counter- argument suggests that agricultural and economic patterns were constrained by local circumstances, and that no significant dietary change occurred. This study combined local-scale isotopic analysis from central Italy with a meta-analysis of all available previously published data from Europe c. AD 1-1500. Mixed multi-level models were used to control for random inter-site variation, and to investigate the effect of multiple factors (Phase, Location, proximity to coast, Age, Sex, Species) on d13C and d15N. Within central Italy, 430 humans and 29 animals were analysed from eight archaeological sites dating from the 5th century BC to the 15th century AD. There were no significant differences through time, but coastal sites had significantly higher d13C and urban
Nitsch, Erika K.
Archeology
Stable isotope evidence for diet change in Roman and Medieval Italy : local, regional and continental perspectives. This thesis investigated dietary change in Roman and Medieval Europe c. AD 1-1500 using stable isotope analysis of humans and animals. Historical and archaeological data present two possibilities for how the social, political and economic changes of this period may have affected food practices. One argument suggests the population collapse and economic depression of the Early Medieval period increased the availability and consumption of meat. The counter- argument suggests that agricultural and economic patterns were constrained by local circumstances, and that no significant dietary change occurred. This study combined local-scale isotopic analysis from central Italy with a meta-analysis of all available previously published data from Europe c. AD 1-1500. Mixed multi-level models were used to control for random inter-site variation, and to investigate the effect of multiple factors (Phase, Location, proximity to coast, Age, Sex, Species) on d13C and d15N. Within central Italy, 430 humans and 29 animals were analysed from eight archaeological sites dating from the 5th century BC to the 15th century AD. There were no significant differences through time, but coastal sites had significantly higher d13C and urban
stable_isotope evidence diet change roman medieval italy local_regional continental perspective investigated dietary_change roman medieval europe use stable_isotope_analysis human_animal historical_archaeological data_present possibility social_political economic_change period may_affect food practice argument suggest population collapse economic_depression early_medieval period increase availability consumption meat counter argument suggest agricultural economic pattern constrain local_circumstance significant dietary_change occur study combine local scale isotopic_analysis central_italy meta analysis available previously_publish data europe mixed multi_level model use control random inter_site variation investigate_effect multiple factor phase location proximity coast age_sex species within central_italy human_animal analyse archaeological_site date significant_difference time coastal_site significantly high urban