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Dietary Variability in the Varna Chalcolithic Cemeteries

Bibliographic Data

ID7988546
AuthorsBisserka Gaydarska (0000-0002-6236-872X, Durham University, corresponding author), Joe Roe (0000-0002-1011-1244, University of Bern), Vladimir Slavchev (0000-0002-6369-4527, National Museum of Archaeology)
Year2024
Volume28
Issue1
Pages24-42
Publication date2024-09-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEuropean Journal of Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1461-9571 • E-ISSN: 1741-2722
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/eaa.2024.33
OpenAlexW4402647710
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited26

This article presents the results of AMS radiocarbon dating, stable isotope analysis, and FRUITS dietary modelling to investigate dietary variability among sixty individuals buried at Varna in the mid-fifth millennium bc . The principal pattern was the isotopic clustering of some forty-three per cent of the population, which suggests a ‘Varna core diet’, with the remainder showing a wider variety of isotopic profiles. While there is a slight trend for heightened meat and fish consumption among male individuals compared to female and undetermined individuals, the authors found no clear correlation between dietary variation and the well-attested differentiation in material culture in the graves. Three children had isotopic profile and estimated diets unmatched by any of the adults in the sample. Two scenarios, dubbed ‘regional’ and ‘local’, are presented to explain such dietary variability at Varna

Ancient history · Archaeology · Bronze Age · Chalcolithic · Geography · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · History

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Unique citing works2
Citations per year2
Citation span2026 - 2026 (1)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 1
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