Diet in the Roman world: a regional inter-site comparison of the mammal bones

King, Anthony

doi:10.1017/s1047759400017979

Cited by 296 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Pork was the most popular meat consumed by the Romans, followed by sheep and goats' meat (approximately 25 to 50%). However, consumption varied by region and chronology (King, 1999). Zooarchaeological studies concur that the predominant domesticates in Southern Portugal during the Roman period and Late Antiquity were ovicaprines (sheep and goats) and pigs, followed by cattle (for the Alentejo region see: MacKinnon, 1999MacKinnon, -2000Cardoso and Detry, 2005; similar results for Horta da Torre (personal communication by M. J. Valente)).…”

Section: Dietary Patternsmentioning

confidence: 59%

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Saragoça

Maurer

Šoberl

et al. 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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This study presents for the first time the diet of a Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal (Civitas of Pax Julia), from the Roman villa of Monte da Cegonha (predominantly 7th century CE). Stable isotope analysis (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 18 O, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) of human and faunal bone collagen and apatite was conducted in order to understand the influence of Roman subsistence strategies on the way of life of rural inhabitants of the area of Pax Julia and to explore their diet (types of ingested plants, amount of animal resources, terrestrial versus marine resources). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses were used to determine the degree of bone diagenesis and assess the reliability of the bone stable isotopic composition for palaeodietary reconstruction. Anthropological analysis revealed a cariogenic diet, rich in starchy food and carbohydrates, in at least in two individuals based on the frequency of dental caries. Collagen and apatite carbon isotopic analysis suggested that C 3 plants were the basis of the population's diet, complemented with some terrestrial meat and its byproducts as reflected by the observed bone collagen nitrogen isotopic composition. Moreover, whilst the fairly low apatite-collagen spacing recorded in some skeletons (at around 4‰) may have been due to freshwater organisms intake, the relatively low nitrogen values observed indicate that this consumption did not occur very often, unless in the form of fresh fish of low trophic level or fish sauces. There were no significant differences in isotopic values depending on gender or burial type. Strontium and oxygen isotopic composition of bone apatite revealed a sedentary community, with the exception of a male individual who probably did not spend his childhood in Monte da Cegonha.

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Section: Dietary Patternsmentioning

confidence: 59%

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Saragoça

Maurer

Šoberl

et al. 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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“…The most obvious would be to re-express the NISP for each taxon as a percentage of the total. The resulting three percentages can then be plotted on a tripolar graph, a procedure used by King (1999). There are two objections to this approach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Livestock and deadstock in early medieval Europe from the North Sea to the Baltic

O'Connor

2010

Environmental Archaeology

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The relative abundance and mortality profiles of cattle, sheep and pigs from a series of 8th-to 11th-century sites across northern Europe are reviewed with the aim of identifying broad regional trends in livestock husbandry and redistribution. Although based on published NISP data derived from hand-collected material, the broad scale and coarse precision of the survey mitigates the worst effects of differential recovery. Marked local variation in the relative abundance of cattle and of pigs is noted in certain regions. In the latter case, the association of pigs with more easterly sites is tested and discussed. Evidence from York and its region are discussed in more detail, including an association between chalk uplands and sheep husbandry in the Middle Saxon period.

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“…The evidence for changes in cattle carcass processing has implications both in economic and social terms. Beef production became more important in the Roman period (King 1999) and the need to provision towns in particular led to significant changes in how animals were acquired, processed and their products distributed. It is possible to trace the activities of specialist processors and to recognise where they operated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chop and Change: Specialist Cattle Carcass Processing in Roman Britain

Maltby

2007

Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal

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Diet in the Roman world: a regional inter-site comparison of the mammal bones

Cited by 296 publications

References 6 publications

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

Livestock and deadstock in early medieval Europe from the North Sea to the Baltic

Chop and Change: Specialist Cattle Carcass Processing in Roman Britain

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