engleski

Dietary trends in early medieval Croatia as evidenced by stable isotope analysis

Little is known about the diet of early medieval Croatian populations. Written sources talking about this topic are scarce, so most of the data are available from paleodontological studies or, in rare cases, from stable isotope analyses. The main aim of this study is to reconstruct the dietary patterns of the early medieval Croats based on nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes analysis, but also to examine if there are significant differences between the sites and between the sexes. The series includes 30 human and one animal (sheep/goat) bone sample from five EM (6th-12th c. AD) sites located on the eastern Adriatic coast. The majority of individuals had δ13C values between −19.7‰ and −17.6‰ and δ15N values between 8.6‰ and 10.5‰, which is consistent with a diet based primarily on terrestrial C3 resources with little or no marine or C4 input. Higher δ15N values in two adult individuals suggest the consumption of large amounts of high- trophic level protein, or of freshwater fish. Two other individuals, an adolescent and a 1.5- 2.5 year old child, had high δ13C values, indicating the consumption of either marine foods or a C4 resource such as millet. The young child also had an elevated δ15N value, so was probably consuming a C4 or marine based weaning food whilst still breastfeeding. No differences were apparent between sites or between males and females in the analysed sample. These results provide us with new information on diet and lifestyle of individuals inhabiting eastern Adriatic during the Early Middle Ages.

Croatia; skeletal remains; diet; stable isotopes

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