“What’s on the Menu?”: Diet in Medieval Holland  A stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of bone “collagen” from early medieval Blokhuizen and late medieval Alkmaar.

The aim of this research is to reconstruct the diets of people interred in the early medieval cemetery of Blokhuizen, and the late medieval cemetery of the Paardenmarkt, in Holland. In order to accomplish this, 50 human and 19 animal bone samples were analyzed for the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in “collagen”. Two “collagen” isolation methods were applied and a comparison of extraction methods is included in the research. The analysis of stable isotope ratios, and comparison of the reconstructed diets from Blokhuizen and Alkmaar, provide the opportunity to evaluate interpopulation and intrapopulational dietary differences. The goal was to assess general trends in the composition of diet over time, and whether there were differences in diet between the sexes. Ultimately, it was attempted to evaluate to what extent an urban way of life, commercialisation, and changes in subsistence practices impacted diet in medieval Holland. It was established that both populations...Show moreThe aim of this research is to reconstruct the diets of people interred in the early medieval cemetery of Blokhuizen, and the late medieval cemetery of the Paardenmarkt, in Holland. In order to accomplish this, 50 human and 19 animal bone samples were analyzed for the stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in “collagen”. Two “collagen” isolation methods were applied and a comparison of extraction methods is included in the research. The analysis of stable isotope ratios, and comparison of the reconstructed diets from Blokhuizen and Alkmaar, provide the opportunity to evaluate interpopulation and intrapopulational dietary differences. The goal was to assess general trends in the composition of diet over time, and whether there were differences in diet between the sexes. Ultimately, it was attempted to evaluate to what extent an urban way of life, commercialisation, and changes in subsistence practices impacted diet in medieval Holland. It was established that both populations subsisted on a C3-based diet, with mainly terrestrial protein. Significant dietary differences were found between Blokhuizen and Alkmaar. The population of Alkmaar showed significantly enriched δ15N ratios and had more variable δ13C ratios. This is interpreted as an increase in the consumption of meat and/or marine or freshwater foods in the late medieval diet. There was no significant difference between the sexes in the Blokhuizen sample, whereas a significant difference was found between men and women from Alkmaar: men had significantly enriched in δ15N ratios compared to women. Both male and female diet changed significantly through time as evidenced by higher δ15N ratios, but the δ15N enrichment was higher in the males suggesting they consumed comparatively more animal protein. These data suggest that social differences between males and females changed through time, resulting in dietary differences detectable in stable isotope ratios of human bone “collagen”.Show less

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“What’s on the Menu?”: Diet in Medieval Holland A stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of bone “collagen” from early medieval Blokhuizen and late medieval Alkmaar.