Isotopic reconstruction of diet at the Vandalic period (ca. 5th–6th centuries AD) Theodosian Wall cemetery at Carthage, Tunisia

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12371059
AutoresYing Ma (0000-0001-5050-9743, Institute for Cultural Heritage and History of Science and Technology University of Science and Technology Beijing Beijing 100083 China, autor correspondente), Ralf Bockmann (German Archaeological Institute Via Sicilia 136 Rome 00187 Italy), Susan T Stevens (Department of Classics Randolph College 2500 Rivermont Ave Lynchburg VA 24503 USA), Sihem Roudesli‐Chebbi (Institut National du Patrimoine Musée National de Carthage 04 Place du Chateau, 1008 Tunis Tunisia), Alessio Amaro (Department of Translational Research and New Technologies University of Pisa Pisa Italy), Anastasia Brozou (0000-0002-2106-1107, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, School of Culture and Society Aarhus University Moesgård Allé 20, DK‐8270 Højbjerg Denmark), Benjamin T Fuller (0000-0002-5989-8121, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, School of Culture and Society Aarhus University Moesgård Allé 20, DK‐8270 Højbjerg Denmark), M A Mannino (0000-0001-6807-4434, Aarhus University)
Ano2021
Volume31
Fascículo3
Páginas393-405
Data de publicação2021-01-13
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoInternational Journal of Osteoarchaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1047-482X • E-ISSN: 1099-1212
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/oa.2958
OpenAlexW3119634899
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas68

Here we present the first isotopic investigation of a Vandalic period site (ca. 5th–6th centuries AD), the Theodosian Wall cemetery at Carthage, in modern day Tunis, Tunisia. The focus of this research is to determine the general diet and food consumption patterns of this population during this important and pivotal period of antiquity in North Africa. To this end, collagen stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) are reported for a variety of fauna ( n = 20) and humans ( n = 70). The human mean±SD results (δ 13 C = −19.3 ± 0.4‰; δ 15 N = 10.7 ± 1.4‰) reflect a diet that was based predominantly on C 3 terrestrial plants with varying amounts of animal protein from domestic animals such as sheep/goats, cows, and pigs. No statistically significant isotopic differences between males and females, developmental age, or time period of burial were found. The isotopic results from the Theodosian Wall cemetery at Carthage are compared to eight previously published Roman and Early Byzantine sites from the Mediterranean region (Carrer Ample 1, Joan Planells, S'Hort des Llimoners (Spain); Isola Sacra, Velia, Herculaneum (Italy); Ephesus (Turkey); and Leptiminus (Tunisia)). The lack of significant amounts of marine foods in the diets of the Vandal era population at Carthage is in stark contrast to the Roman inhabitants of Leptiminus, where significant consumption of marine‐derived dietary resources was found. As Leptiminus is ~180 km southeast of Carthage, the work presented here shows that large dietary differences existed in North African populations during antiquity

Ancient history · Archaeology · Art · Period (music · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · History · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Paleopathology and ancient diseases