Multi-isotope analysis of primary and secondary dentin as a mean to broaden intra-life dietary reconstruction. A case from Longobard Italy
Bibliographic Data
This exploratory study proposes an original intra-life history investigation through sequential analysis of the isotopic composition of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur (CNS) on both primary and secondary dentin of a tooth (M1). We focus on an elderly woman from Longobard Italy (6th to 8th c. CE), who showed an unprecedented case of cranial surgery, presented in a companion paper by Micarelli and colleagues. Sequential stable CNS isotope composition of first molar dentin collagen allows us to infer diet, mobility, health, and physiological stress between approximately 3 months after birth to 9.5 years old (primary dentin) and between early adulthood until death (secondary dentin). Isotopic results on primary dentin highlight the following: (i) a long weaning period (ending at approximately 4 years), followed by (ii) a specific diet, including the contribution of C4 crops in early childhood (approximately 5.5 years), possibly concomitant with mobility. While secondary dentin shows a generally homogeneous diet during adulthood, the longitudinal analysis provided information on specific stresses that likely occurred in periods of difficult health conditions. This work emphasizes the importance of measuring complete dentin sequences (including secondary when present) for isotopic analysis to broaden intra-life histories in ancient populations
Biology · Concomitant · Dentin · Exploratory analysis · Isotope analysis · Molar · Weaning · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Dentistry · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Medicine · Ecology · Internal Medicine · Surgery
Weaning behaviour in human evolution
The Weanlingʼs Dilemma Reconsidered
The Great Irish Famine
The application of sulphur isotope analyses in archaeological research
Postmortem preservation and alteration of in vivo bone collagen isotope ratios in relation to palaeodietary reconstruction
Nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of bone collagen from marine and terrestrial animals
Multi-proxy stable isotope analyses of dentine microsections reveal diachronic changes in life history adaptations, mobility, and tuberculosis-induced wasting in prehistoric Liguria (Finale Ligure, Italy, northwestern Mediterranean)
Beyond diet reconstruction
Secondary Dentin Formation Mechanism
Trepanation in Italy
Whose City Is This? Hucksters, Domestic Servants, Wet‐Nurses, Prostitutes, and Slaves in Late Medieval Western Mediterranean Urban Society
Estimating weaning and early childhood diet from serial micro-samples of dentin collagen
Bone Collagen Quality Indicators for Palaeodietary and Radiocarbon Measurements
Childhood Diet
A guide for an anatomically sensitive dentine microsampling and age‐alignment approach for human teeth isotopic sequences
C 4 ‐consumers in southern europe
Comparing apples and oranges
Intra‐tooth stable isotope analysis of dentine
Establishing collagen quality criteria for sulphur isotope analysis of archaeological bone collagen
An unprecedented case of cranial surgery in Longobard Italy (6th-8th century) using a cruciform incision
Rates of dentine mineralization in permanent human teeth
Investigating infant feeding strategies at Roman Bainesse through Bayesian modelling of incremental dentine isotopic data
Shifting weaning practices in Early Neolithic Cis-Baikal, Siberia
Longitudinal Study of Stable Isotope Compositions of Maternal Milk and Implications for the Palaeo-Diet of Infants
| Citations per year | 1.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Highly cited | No |