NO SEAT AT THE TABLE? MYCENAEAN WOMEN'S DIET AND HEALTH IN PYLOS, GREECE (original) (raw)
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Our understanding of diet in the past and of the role of food acquisition, procurement and consumption have been enriched in the last few decades by the adoption of new scientific techniques (stable isotope analysis, dental microwear analysis, organic residue analysis, etc) which are nowadays used alongside the traditional study of animal bones and plant remains. The growth of archaeological science has very much contributed to archaeology's 'loss of innocence', but it does also present new risks and new challenges. 1 The rate of specialisation increases, as new special journals are published, conferences dedicated to one analytical technique multiply, special discussion groups appear on the internet and specialised academic positions are advertised all around the world. While intensive interaction within specialised applications undoubtedly promotes further growth and refinement, communication between practitioners working in different methods, and between archaeologists and specialists in archaeological science is becoming increasingly difficult, or -worse -to some practitioners irrelevant. While growing specialisation is perhaps inevitable, the growing fragmentation of the field has many negative consequences. We may have moved beyond the stage of placing scientific results in an appendix at the end of an archaeological publication, but we are running the risk of ignoring scientific results that bear directly on our own questions, simply because we are not familiar with existing analytical techniques, let alone new ones. Or we use scientific results, but we do so uncritically, precisely because it is impossible to familiarise ourselves with the entire range of analytical techniques in use at the moment.
We review the stable isotopic data of recovered Greek bones from the Early Neolithic to the Late Bronze period in order to examine dietary changes over time. As an isotopic baseline we use the published fauna data of the periods. The analysis revealed a diet that included a significant proportion of foods based on C3 plants, and the bulk of the animal protein must have been provided by terrestrial mammals with a small but detectable proportion of marine protein for coastal and island populations. A more significant contribution of marine protein is observed for Bronze Age populations while the enrichment in both C and N isotopes is connected, for some areas, to the introduction of millet during the Bronze Age, and to freshwater consumption. An extensive database of Greek food sources is presented and compared to the fauna from the prehistoric periods (Early Neolithic to Late Bronze Age) of the literature. We propose that this database can be used in palaeodiet reconstruction studies.
Dietary reconstruction in Early Iron Age Greece using carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis
TMA56, 2017
In the Sub-Mycenaean and Protogeometric periods (1100-900 BC) the old Mycenaean world was changing. Social structure, material culture, and diet underwent varying degrees of transformation. This paper focuses on dietary changes during the post-Mycenaean period in the Greek mainland. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses conducted on human bone collagen indicate diversity in dietary practices both within and between communities in Thessaly. While the data show that the diet largely consisted of C3 resources, a significant C4 signal is also apparent. Furthermore, animal protein consumption is high, but in variable proportions at each site. Archaeozoological and archaeobotanical studies help understand the food economy, while the study of the social structure sheds more light on the cause of the dietary variation observed.
"This study presents the results of a carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of thirty-nine human bone and eight animal samples from the Middle Bronze Age (or ca. 2100-1700BC; or Middle Helladic, MH) population of Lerna, Greece. The isotopic data indicate that the humans had a C3 terrestrial diet while certain individuals appear to have significant amounts of animal protein in their diet. With regard to weaning age, the isotopic values and the estimated age of early enamel disruptions suggest that solid foods were starting to be used as a substitute for breast milk at or before the ages of 2.5 to 3 years old. Keywords: Stable isotope analysis; Diet reconstruction; Lerna; Middle Bronze Age; Weaning age"
This booklet aims to give a concise overview of food and drink in Mycenaean Greece in the light of the epigraphic evidence.
Diachronic dietary reconstructions in ancient Thebes, Greece: results from stable isotope analyses
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2011
Although isotopic applications in Greece are rapidly increasing, there is rarely the chance to investigate diet changes within a population over time. This is mainly because large burial grounds are seldom excavated systematically. Nonetheless, this study presents the isotopic results of human and animal bone samples from graves dating from 3000 to 300 BC, recovered in Thebes’ extensive historic cemetery. The unique opportunity is provided to correlate dietary with historic changes, and observe whether sociocultural parameters affect dietary choices and how this presents isotopically. Results show significant temporal trends.► The first study of dietary variation observed isotopically from a single burial ground over 3000 years in ancient Thebes. ► Records dietary trends over time, namely changes in the human nitrogen values, which are discussed in the light of sociocultural and environmental changes between time periods. ► Observes the absence of isotopic differences in diets between sociocultural sub-groups and discusses this as a result of the methodology.
Open Access Journal of Archaeology and Anthropology, 2023
The skeletal material from the Classical and Prehistoric period cemeteries of ancient Pella in Central Macedonia, Greece was examined anthropologically and analyzed for the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Additionally, the Prehistoric cemetery burials were radiocarbon dated. The dates define the use of the prehistoric cemetery in the Early Bronze Age period (6600-6050 BC). The anthropological examination and isotopic analysis provided information on the sex, age at death, dental hygiene and gave interesting insights about the eating habits and access to food sources in the two periods. The people of the Classical period seem to consume much more foods enriched in animal protein (meat and dairy products) from the terrestrial environment as evidenced by the increase mainly in δ 15 N and not particularly δ 13 C, than the EBA people. A certain differentiation was observed in the diet between men and women in the EBA, with the diet of women being tentatively less enriched in animal proteins compared to that of men. No difference was observed in the Classical Period which may indicate and improvement in the socioeconomic conditions.