Archaeodiet in the Greek World: Dietary Reconstruction from Stable Isotope Analysis (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780876615492)

The analysis of stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in bone collagen provides a powerful tool for reconstructing past diets, since it provides the only direct evidence of the foods that were actually consumed. The chapters that comprise this volume describe the application of this methodology to the archaeology of Greece, a country whose archaeobotanical remains have been isotopically studied more extensively than any other place in the world. The archaeological issues that can be addressed using stable isotope methods include the importance of fishing; the possible early introduction of millet; the nature of childrearing including weaning age and weaning foods; temporal shifts in protein consumption; differential access to certain foods associated with social status as well as gender and age; and cultural differences in dietary patterns. Additionally, diet is strongly correlated with health or stress markers in the teeth and bones. Knowing what people ate has vital implications for our understanding of past environments and economies, subsistence strategies, and nutrition.

Author: Anastasia Papathanasiou
ISBN-10: 0876615493
ISBN-13: 9780876615492
Publisher: American School of Classical Studies at Athen
Language: English
Published: 08/15/2015
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.30lbs
Size: 10.90h x 8.40w x 0.50d