At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses
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 met...
Published in: | American Journal of Physical Anthropology |
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2519 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 |
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ftopinvisindi:oai:opinvisindi.is:20.500.11815/2519 2023-05-15T16:49:04+02:00 At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses Walser III, Joe Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet Sagnfræði- og heimspekideild (HÍ) Faculty of History and Philosophy (UI) Hugvísindasvið (HÍ) School of Humanities (UI) Háskóli Íslands University of Iceland 2019-12-13 142-163 https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2519 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 en eng Wiley American Journal of Physical Anthropology;171(1) Walser, JW, Kristjánsdóttir, S, Gröcke, DR, et al. At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2020; 171: 142– 163. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 0002-9483 1096-8644 (eISSN) https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2519 American Journal of Physical Anthropology doi:10.1002/ajpa.23973 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Bioarchaeology Diet Isotopes Palaeopathology Provenance Fornleifarannsóknir Mataræði Samsætur Líkamsmannfræði info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2019 ftopinvisindi https://doi.org/20.500.11815/2519 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 2022-11-18T06:52:08Z 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 δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S. Dental enamel samples from 31 individuals (Skriðuklaustur) were also analyzed for 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δ13C, and trace elements (Pb, Sr, Zn, Ba). Results The mean value determined from individuals from Skriðuklaustur (n = 36) was δ13C = −18.7 ± 0.8‰, δ15N = 12.8 ± 1.1‰, and δ34S = 9.0 ± 1.6‰, whereas at Skeljastaðir (n = 14), it was δ13C = −20.5 ± 0.8‰, δ15N = 7.8 ± 0.9‰, and δ34S = 9.4 ± 1.6‰. At Skriðuklaustur, human dental enamel samples (n = 31) provided a 87Sr/86Sr range of 0.7060–0.7088, δ18Ophosphate from 13.9 to 16.1‰ and δ13Ccarbonate from −16.6 to −12.9‰. Inferred drinking water (δ18Odw) 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 δ13C and δ15N 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. This research was financed by Fornminjasjóður (the Archaeology Fund), Háskólasjóður Eimskipafélags Íslands (the Eimskip University Fund), and the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory (SIBL). Peer Reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper Iceland Opin vísindi (Iceland) Skriðuklaustur ENVELOPE(-14.979,-14.979,65.044,65.044) American Journal of Physical Anthropology 171 1 142 163 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Opin vísindi (Iceland) |
op_collection_id |
ftopinvisindi |
language |
English |
topic |
Bioarchaeology Diet Isotopes Palaeopathology Provenance Fornleifarannsóknir Mataræði Samsætur Líkamsmannfræði |
spellingShingle |
Bioarchaeology Diet Isotopes Palaeopathology Provenance Fornleifarannsóknir Mataræði Samsætur Líkamsmannfræði Walser III, Joe 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 |
topic_facet |
Bioarchaeology Diet Isotopes Palaeopathology Provenance Fornleifarannsóknir Mataræði Samsætur Líkamsmannfræði |
description |
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 δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S. Dental enamel samples from 31 individuals (Skriðuklaustur) were also analyzed for 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δ13C, and trace elements (Pb, Sr, Zn, Ba). Results The mean value determined from individuals from Skriðuklaustur (n = 36) was δ13C = −18.7 ± 0.8‰, δ15N = 12.8 ± 1.1‰, and δ34S = 9.0 ± 1.6‰, whereas at Skeljastaðir (n = 14), it was δ13C = −20.5 ± 0.8‰, δ15N = 7.8 ± 0.9‰, and δ34S = 9.4 ± 1.6‰. At Skriðuklaustur, human dental enamel samples (n = 31) provided a 87Sr/86Sr range of 0.7060–0.7088, δ18Ophosphate from 13.9 to 16.1‰ and δ13Ccarbonate from −16.6 to −12.9‰. Inferred drinking water (δ18Odw) 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 δ13C and δ15N 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. This research was financed by Fornminjasjóður (the Archaeology Fund), Háskólasjóður Eimskipafélags Íslands (the Eimskip University Fund), and the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory (SIBL). Peer Reviewed |
author2 |
Sagnfræði- og heimspekideild (HÍ) Faculty of History and Philosophy (UI) Hugvísindasvið (HÍ) School of Humanities (UI) Háskóli Íslands University of Iceland |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Walser III, Joe Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet |
author_facet |
Walser III, Joe Kristjánsdóttir, Steinunn Gröcke, Darren R. Gowland, Rebecca L. Jakob, Tina Nowell, Geoff M. Ottley, Chris J. Montgomery, Janet |
author_sort |
Walser III, Joe |
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 |
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2519 https://doi.org/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_relation |
American Journal of Physical Anthropology;171(1) Walser, JW, Kristjánsdóttir, S, Gröcke, DR, et al. At the world's edge: Reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2020; 171: 142– 163. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973 0002-9483 1096-8644 (eISSN) https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/2519 American Journal of Physical Anthropology doi:10.1002/ajpa.23973 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/20.500.11815/2519 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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1766039133688430592 |