Eating in prosperity: First stable isotope evidence of diet from Palatial Knossos

Reconstruction of Greek population diet from Neolithic period to modern times

“…In this section, we investigate possible differences in the diet of the population of the island of Crete between the MM (Knossos), Byzantine and Recent periods and at what degree it is in accordance with the Mediterranean diet. In Figure 5, we present the results for δ 13 C and δ 15 N isotopic values of human bone collagen as deducted from references (Nafplioti, 2016) for Knossos, (Bourbou et al, 2011(Bourbou et al, , 2013Semelidou et al, 2013) for Byzantine and, as measured in this study, for the modern period. The mean isotopic values for Knossos (MM) are À19‰ (SD = 1‰) and 8.2‰ (SD = 0.9‰) for δ 13 C and δ 15 N, respectively, for the Byzantine period À18.9‰ (SD = 0.5‰) and 9‰ (SD = 1‰) and for the modern period the respective values are À16‰ (SD = 1‰) and 11‰ (SD = 1‰).…”

“…Additionally, for the MM period (Figure 4d), the δ 13 C and δ 15 N the mean values of the individuals from Crete is −19.0‰ and 8.2‰, respectively. Most of the stable isotope values cluster quite far [δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of the individuals from Crete range from −21.4‰ to −17.4‰ and from +6.2‰ to +9.8‰ respectively, (Nafplioti, 2016)] from the overall mean values, suggesting a varied range of food resources. These isotopic data, with the faunal data, present the largest isotopic fluctuations that were observed in prehistoric settlements, suggesting a large range of dietary sources.…”

“…Furthermore, we present the carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of 64 contemporary C3 plants and 8 dairy products. At the same time, we review 945 published data (Borstad McConnan et al, 2018; Bourbou et al, 2011, 2013; Bourbou & Garvie‐Lok, 2015; Dotsika et al, 2019; Dotsika & Michael, 2018; Dotsika et al, 2018; Garvie‐Lok, 2001a; Ingvarsson‐Sundström et al, 2009; Kontopoulos & Sampson, 2015; Lagia, 2015; Lagia et al, 2007; Nafplioti, 2016; Panagiotopoulou & Papathanasiou, 2015; Papathanasiou, 2001, 2003; Petroutsa & Manolis, 2010; Petroutsa, 2007; Petroutsa et al, 2007; Petroutsa et al, 2009; Triantaphyllou, 2001; Triantaphyllou et al, 2006; Vika, 2002, 2011, 2015) of human bone collagen from the Neolithic period up to the late Ottoman period.…”

Shifting diet, shifting culture? A bioarchaeological approach to island dietary development on Iron‐Age Öland, Baltic Sea

“…The δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of human bone will be discussed and interpreted here primarily using the 5‰ levels of TLE (Trophic level effect) but also taking the 3‰ level into account, an approach which has recently been frequently used (e.g., Basha, Chamberlain, Zaki, Kandeel, & Fares, ; Chen et al, ; Ciaffi et al, ; Fernandes, Grootes, Nadeau, & Nehlich, ; Halffman & Velemínský, ; Mörseburg, Alt, & Knipper, ; Nafplioti, ; Richards, Karavanić, Pettitt, & Miracle, ; Schutkowski & Soltysiak, ). The offset in δ 13 C is much smaller in human bone collagen when comparing with bones of animals likely consumed by humans (i.e., the TLE) and is sometimes given as an interval of +0.8 to 1.3‰ (Bocherens & Drucker, ), but mostly rounded off to the originally suggested +1‰ (DeNiro & Epstein, ) which is the value that will be employed in this study for the TLE.…”

The Bountiful Sea: Fish Processing and Consumption in Mediterranean Antiquity

“…Italy is one of the most investigated regions with data representing populations in Rome (Prowse et al 2004(Prowse et al , 2005Rutgers et al 2009;Killgrove and Tykot 2013), Gabii (Killgrove and Tykot 2018), and Herculaneum (Martyn et al 2018). A growing number of analyses relate to other areas: Spain (Rissech et al 2016;Salazar-García et al 2016), Greece (Petroutsa and Manolis 2010;Vika 2011;Nafplioti 2016;McConnan Borstad et al 2018) and the Black Sea (Keenleyside et al 2006). Especially interesting are intra-population differences, related to gender and occupation (Crowe et al 2010;Martyn et al 2018).…”