A tale of two cities : diet, health and migration in post-medieval Coventry and Chelsea through biographical reconstruction, osteoarchaeology and isotope biogeochemistry
Biogeochemical research has over the past four-and-a-half decades improved our understanding of human interaction with past environments. The application of different isotope systems has allowed archaeologists to interpret ancient diet, migration and pollution. Although well established in archaeology, biogeochemical interpretations are burdened with questions not only as to the methodology employed but also whether the data presents a consistent picture of past human activity. The use of biographically identifiable individuals offers a means by which the isotope systems may be tested against extent documentary evidence. A sample of forty-five individuals, almost half of which were named individuals, were obtained from the sites of Holy Trinity (Coventry) and St. Luke's (Old Street, Chelsea) and the stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, strontium and lead analysed. The biographies ofthe named individuals were reconstructed through analysis ofextant historical documentation and' used to provide a framework of interpretation for the biogeochemical teclmiques applied. Comparisons are made between the two sites in relation to the biogeochemical techniques employed, biographical reconstruction and osteoarchaeological
Trickett, Mark Anthony
A tale of two cities : diet, health and migration in post-medieval Coventry and Chelsea through biographical reconstruction, osteoarchaeology and isotope biogeochemistry. Biogeochemical research has over the past four-and-a-half decades improved our understanding of human interaction with past environments. The application of different isotope systems has allowed archaeologists to interpret ancient diet, migration and pollution. Although well established in archaeology, biogeochemical interpretations are burdened with questions not only as to the methodology employed but also whether the data presents a consistent picture of past human activity. The use of biographically identifiable individuals offers a means by which the isotope systems may be tested against extent documentary evidence. A sample of forty-five individuals, almost half of which were named individuals, were obtained from the sites of Holy Trinity (Coventry) and St. Luke's (Old Street, Chelsea) and the stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, strontium and lead analysed. The biographies ofthe named individuals were reconstructed through analysis ofextant historical documentation and' used to provide a framework of interpretation for the biogeochemical teclmiques applied. Comparisons are made between the two sites in relation to the biogeochemical techniques employed, biographical reconstruction and osteoarchaeological
tale two_city diet_health migration post_medieval coventry biographical reconstruction isotope past and half decade improve human_interaction past environment application different isotope system_allow archaeologist interpret ancient diet_migration pollution although well_establish archaeology interpretation burden question employ also whether data_present consistent picture past_human activity use identifiable individual offer_mean isotope system may test extent documentary_evidence sample forty_five individual name individual obtain site holy trinity coventry luke old street stable_isotope carbon_nitrogen oxygen strontium lead analyse biography ofthe name individual reconstruct analysis historical documentation use provide_framework interpretation apply comparisons make two_site relation technique_employ biographical reconstruction osteoarchaeological