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Early medieval Italian Alps

Reconstructing Diet and Mobility in the Valleys

Bibliographic Data

ID5401946
AuthorsA Paladin (0000-0001-5397-195X, Eurac Research), Negahnaz Moghaddam (0000-0002-0615-0451, University Centre of Legal Medicine), Agnieszka Elzbieta Stawinoga (0000-0003-1919-5613, Eurac Research), Inga Siebke (University of Bern), Valentina Depellegrin (Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie), U Tecchiati (0000-0003-3215-0874, University of Milan), Sandra Lösch (0000-0003-3442-9764, University of Bern), Albert Zink (0000-0002-1461-747X, Eurac Research)
Year2020
Volume12
Issue3
Pages82
Publication date2020-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArchaeological and Anthropological Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1866-9557 • E-ISSN: 1866-9565
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12520-019-00982-6
OpenAlexW3010292002
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited82

In Early Middle Ages (sixth-eleventh centuries AD), South Tyrol (Italian Alps) played a key role for geographical and military reasons. Historical sources document that allochthonous groups (germani) entered the territory, and the material culture shows mutual cultural exchanges between autochthonous andgermani. Besides the nature of the migration, the demographic and socio-cultural impacts on the local population are still unknown. Stable isotope analyses were performed to provide insights into dietary patterns, subsistence strategies, changes in socio-economic structures, and mobility, according to spatial (e.g. valleys, altitudes) and chronological (centuries) parameters. Bone collagen of 32 faunal and 91 human bone samples from nine sites, located at different altitudes, was extracted for stable carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur isotope analyses. In total, 94% (30/32) of the faunal remains were of good quality, while the humans displayed 93% (85/91) of good quality samples for δ13C and δ15N and 44% (40/91) for δ34S stable isotopes. The isotopic results of the animals reflected a terrestrial-based diet. Statistical differences were observed within and among the humans of the different valleys. The δ13C values of individuals sampled from higher altitudes indicated a mainly C3plant-based diet compared to areas at lower altitudes, where more positive δ13C values showed an intake of C4plants. The δ15N values suggested a terrestrial-based diet with a greater consumption of animal proteins at higher altitudes. The data revealed higher variability in δ34S values in the Adige valley, with individuals probably migrating and/or changing dietary habits

Agriculture · Altitude (triangle · Archaeology · Biology · Geography · Isotope analysis · Isotopes of carbon · Isotopes of nitrogen · Physical geography · Population · Stable isotope ratio · Subsistence agriculture · Taxon · Total organic carbon · δ13C · δ15N · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Demography · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Ecology

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Unique citing works17
Citations per year4,25
Citation span2022 - 2026 (5)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 17
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