Socioeconomic differences in diet: An isotopic examination of post‐Medieval Chichester, West Sussex

Abstract

Objectives Historical evidence suggests that social hierarchy pervaded all aspects of society in post‐Medieval England. This study uses stable isotope analysis to explore the extent to which socioeconomic status and sex affected the dietary habits of the inhabitants of post‐Medieval Chichester. Materials and Methods Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were measured on 40 human burials from the post‐Medieval site of St. Michael's Litten (Chichester, West Sussex, England). Samples were selected from three burial types that denoted differing socioeconomic status with roughly equal numbers of males and females: tomb burials (n = 13) for high‐status; single coffin burials (n = 14) for middle‐status; and shroud burials (n = 13) for low‐status individuals. Results The data showed a largely terrestrial diet with the possibility of some inclusion of marine resources. The isotope results indicate significant variation in the consumption of terrestrial meat (and marine protein) between high‐status tomb burials and coffin and shroud burials, showing that socioeconomic status likely played a role in daily dietary patterns. However, the isotope data suggest sex did not influence an individual's diet. Discussion These results mirror trends established in status‐based studies from elsewhere in post‐Medieval England. However, notably absent from the data is evidence for significant marine resource consumption, which is a well‐established dietary trend of the late Medieval and early post‐Medieval periods. These results indicate post‐Medieval Chichester was a socially stratified society with clear implications that the diet of higher status individuals differed significantly from lower status.

Dietary changes across time: Studying the indigenous period of La Gomera using δ13C and δ15N stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating

“…If marine proteins are not a regular part of the diet, they will not be reflected in their mean nitrogen values; thus, we have to observe other elements, such as the carbon values (Chisholm et al, 1982). This is especially important in C 3 predominant plant environments, in which we could see higher δ 13 C values due to the consumption of marine foods (Ambrose et al, 1997; Dhaliwal et al, 2019). Marine food resources used by the islanders seem to be comprised mostly of shellfish, and not oceanic fish, which is scarce in the archaeological record.…”

Diversity aboard a Tudor warship: investigating the origins of theMary Rosecrew using multi-isotope analysis

“…Although sample sizes are deemed too small for statistical analysis, δ 34 S and δ 15 N isotope data show no clear relationship.

Figure 4 Carbon and nitrogen isotope results for the eight Mary Rose crew members (individual data points plotted as well as the mean), compared with isotope data from post-medieval sites (Mary Rose [ 9 ], Chichester [ 71 ], Queen's Chapel of the Savoy, London [ 70 ]) and medieval sites (Hereford [ 74 ], Box Lane Priory, Yorkshire [ 73 ], Towton, Yorkshire [ 28 ], Warrington Friary, Yorkshire [ 28 ], Fishergate, York [ 29 ], Wharram Percy, Yorkshire [ 72 ] and St Giles, Yorkshire [ 28 ]). All error bars = 1 σ .

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“…Consequently, the use of multiple discriminants is more interpretatively powerful in providing the potential to exclude more possible locations. There has been little isotope work on post-medieval human remains in Britain [ 9 , 53 , 70 , 71 ]. There is, however, a wealth of data for late medieval Britain, especially in terms of δ 13 C and δ 15 N [ 28 , 29 , 72 – 74 ], but also for 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and δ 18 O [ 66 , 75 ].…”

Third Molar Agenesis in Post-Medieval Chichester

“…The skeletal assemblage under analysis comes from The Litten cemetery at Eastgate Square in Chichester, West Sussex. Chichester has a long history of occupation, with evidence of Roman defensive ditches found at The Litten cemetery (Hart, 2012), and continuous settlements recorded from the Anglo-Saxon period onwards (Dhaliwal et al, 2019). In the later medieval period (14 th century), Chichester flourished as one of the more important ports in the country, with dominance over the wool trade and a strong agricultural economy (Hart, 2012).…”

“…A grain-based economy continued in the post-medieval period (1550-1850), although the town's import declined as the wool trade waned. Chichester also appears to have experienced a population surge between 1670-1801, with the number of inhabitants doubling from 2,400 to 4,752 due to increasing trade with London and other domestic markets (Dhaliwal et al, 2019). This assemblage was excavated from a cemetery that seems to have been established in the 12 th century with the construction of the chapel and altar of St. Michael, which are no longer standing.…”