Comparing childhood and adulthood diets in a Viking Age population from the Lejasbitēni cemetery, Latvia

A pilot study

Datos Bibliográficos

ID24142918
AutoresElīna Pētersone-Gordina (0000-0001-6397-0897), Guntis Gerhards (0000-0002-3347-7775), Antonija Vilcāne (0000-0001-7492-1919), Andrew R Millard (0000-0002-8290-7428), Joanna Moore (0000-0003-3918-4583), J Montgomery (0000-0001-6729-3088)
Año2026
Volumen30
Número2
Páginas133-158
Fecha de publicación2026-09-06
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaEstonian Journal of Archaeology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1406-2933 • E-ISSN: 1736-7484
EditorialEstonian Academy Publishers (PUBLISHER • EE)
DOI10.3176/arch.2026.2.02
OpenAlexW7210270599
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas49

This study examines childhood and adulthood diets in selected individuals from the Iron Age LejasbitÄ ni cemetery population in Latvia (7thâ 10th centuries CE). Bone samples for isotope analysis were collected from 12 adult individuals; six had previously available isotope data from M1 root dentine. Bone samples from two non-adult individuals of the chronologically later Liv culture were included for preliminary comparison. Results showed that the LejasbitÄ ni bone carbon (Î ́13C) and nitrogen (Î ́15N) values were among the lowest in the region, suggesting a diet dominated by terrestrial C3-based resources with low-trophic-level animal protein. Unlike dentine data, bone Î ́15N values were not significantly different between gender groups, indicating a more homogeneous adulthood diet. Higher bone Î ́15N values were not always consistent with rich grave inventories, suggesting no clear correlation between social status and diet. Comparison of bone and dentine values revealed a statistically significant shift towards lower Î ́15N and higher Î ́13C values in adulthood compared to childhood, indicating significant dietary change across the life course. Four out of five individuals with usable isotope data from both tissues showed a decrease in Î ́15N values, and all five showed an increase in Î ́13C values between childhood (dentine) and adulthood (bone), respectively. These results represent only a small group, and further research is necessary to explore childhood-to-adulthood dietary transitions and links between access to resources and grave goods in the LejasbitÄ ni population.

Age groups · Homogeneous · Isotopes of nitrogen · Population · Young adult · δ13C · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Paleopathology and ancient diseases