At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses
Abstract Objectives A multi‐isotope study was conducted on individuals buried at Skriðuklaustur monastery (AD 1493–1554) to investigate their geographic origins and dietary composition. Comparative material from individuals excavated from Skeljastaðir, an inland farm site was also analyzed. Material...
Published in: | American Journal of Physical Anthropology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.23973 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.23973 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ajpa.23973 |
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crwiley:10.1002/ajpa.23973 2024-06-02T08:09:15+00:00 At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses Walser, Joe W. Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory Háskólasjóður Eimskipafélags Íslands Fornminjasjóður 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.23973 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.23973 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ajpa.23973 en eng Wiley http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ American Journal of Physical Anthropology volume 171, issue 1, page 142-163 ISSN 0002-9483 1096-8644 journal-article 2019 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 2024-05-03T11:42:46Z Abstract Objectives A multi‐isotope study was conducted on individuals buried at Skriðuklaustur monastery (AD 1493–1554) to investigate their geographic origins and dietary composition. Comparative material from individuals excavated from Skeljastaðir, an inland farm site was also analyzed. Materials and methods Bone collagen was extracted from 50 humans (Skriðuklaustur and Skeljastaðir) and 25 animals (Skriðuklaustur) and analyzed for δ 13 C, δ 15 N, and δ 34 S. Dental enamel samples from 31 individuals (Skriðuklaustur) were also analyzed for 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, δ 18 O, δ 13 C, and trace elements (Pb, Sr, Zn, Ba). Results The mean value determined from individuals from Skriðuklaustur ( n = 36) was δ 13 C = −18.7 ± 0.8‰, δ 15 N = 12.8 ± 1.1‰, and δ 34 S = 9.0 ± 1.6‰, whereas at Skeljastaðir ( n = 14), it was δ 13 C = −20.5 ± 0.8‰, δ 15 N = 7.8 ± 0.9‰, and δ 34 S = 9.4 ± 1.6‰. At Skriðuklaustur, human dental enamel samples ( n = 31) provided a 87 Sr/ 86 Sr range of 0.7060–0.7088, δ 18 O phosphate from 13.9 to 16.1‰ and δ 13 C carbonate from −16.6 to −12.9‰. Inferred drinking water (δ 18 O dw ) values range from −12.3 to −8.9‰. Sr concentrations range from 25.8 to 156.7 ppm, Ba from 0.11 to 0.81 ppm, Zn from 43.8 to 145.8 ppm, and Pb from 0.13 to 9.40 ppm. Discussion A combination of results indicates that the people from Skriðuklaustur were born in Iceland, but some lived inland during childhood while others lived closer to the coast. Since Skriðuklaustur was a hospital, these individuals may have sought medical treatment at the monastery. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values determined from bone collagen indicate that the people residing at Skriðuklaustur consumed a diet high in marine protein, while those residing at Skeljastaðir exhibit values more consistent with terrestrial resources. Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Wiley Online Library Skriðuklaustur ENVELOPE(-14.979,-14.979,65.044,65.044) American Journal of Physical Anthropology 171 1 142 163 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
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English |
description |
Abstract Objectives A multi‐isotope study was conducted on individuals buried at Skriðuklaustur monastery (AD 1493–1554) to investigate their geographic origins and dietary composition. Comparative material from individuals excavated from Skeljastaðir, an inland farm site was also analyzed. Materials and methods Bone collagen was extracted from 50 humans (Skriðuklaustur and Skeljastaðir) and 25 animals (Skriðuklaustur) and analyzed for δ 13 C, δ 15 N, and δ 34 S. Dental enamel samples from 31 individuals (Skriðuklaustur) were also analyzed for 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, δ 18 O, δ 13 C, and trace elements (Pb, Sr, Zn, Ba). Results The mean value determined from individuals from Skriðuklaustur ( n = 36) was δ 13 C = −18.7 ± 0.8‰, δ 15 N = 12.8 ± 1.1‰, and δ 34 S = 9.0 ± 1.6‰, whereas at Skeljastaðir ( n = 14), it was δ 13 C = −20.5 ± 0.8‰, δ 15 N = 7.8 ± 0.9‰, and δ 34 S = 9.4 ± 1.6‰. At Skriðuklaustur, human dental enamel samples ( n = 31) provided a 87 Sr/ 86 Sr range of 0.7060–0.7088, δ 18 O phosphate from 13.9 to 16.1‰ and δ 13 C carbonate from −16.6 to −12.9‰. Inferred drinking water (δ 18 O dw ) values range from −12.3 to −8.9‰. Sr concentrations range from 25.8 to 156.7 ppm, Ba from 0.11 to 0.81 ppm, Zn from 43.8 to 145.8 ppm, and Pb from 0.13 to 9.40 ppm. Discussion A combination of results indicates that the people from Skriðuklaustur were born in Iceland, but some lived inland during childhood while others lived closer to the coast. Since Skriðuklaustur was a hospital, these individuals may have sought medical treatment at the monastery. The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values determined from bone collagen indicate that the people residing at Skriðuklaustur consumed a diet high in marine protein, while those residing at Skeljastaðir exhibit values more consistent with terrestrial resources. |
author2 |
Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory Háskólasjóður Eimskipafélags Íslands Fornminjasjóður |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Walser, Joe W. Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet |
spellingShingle |
Walser, Joe W. Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
author_facet |
Walser, Joe W. Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet |
author_sort |
Walser, Joe W. |
title |
At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
title_short |
At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
title_full |
At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
title_fullStr |
At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
title_full_unstemmed |
At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
title_sort |
at the world's edge: reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval iceland using isotope and trace element analyses |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.23973 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.23973 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1002/ajpa.23973 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-14.979,-14.979,65.044,65.044) |
geographic |
Skriðuklaustur |
geographic_facet |
Skriðuklaustur |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
American Journal of Physical Anthropology volume 171, issue 1, page 142-163 ISSN 0002-9483 1096-8644 |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 |
container_title |
American Journal of Physical Anthropology |
container_volume |
171 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
142 |
op_container_end_page |
163 |
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1800754921430056960 |