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Integrating isotopes and documentary evidence : Dietary patterns in a late medieval and early modern mining community, Sweden

Bäckström, Ylva LU ; Mispelaere, Jan ; Ingvarsson-Sundström, Anne ; Fjellström, Markus and Britton, Kate (2018) In Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 10(8). p.2075-2094
Abstract
This study explores the relationship between dietary patterns and social structure in a pre-industrial mining community in Salberget, Sweden c. 1470 to 1600 A.D. using a combination of different research approaches and tools, including archaeology, osteology, bone chemistry and history.
The correlation between demographic criteria (sex and age) and archaeological variables (burial type and burial location) shows that Salberget was a highly stratified community. Group diets were investigated through analyses of stable isotopes (carbon, δ13C, and nitrogen, δ15N) of bone collagen from a sub-sample of individuals buried at the site (n = 67), interpreted alongside data from human dental lesions and deficiencies, animal bone waste and... (More)
This study explores the relationship between dietary patterns and social structure in a pre-industrial mining community in Salberget, Sweden c. 1470 to 1600 A.D. using a combination of different research approaches and tools, including archaeology, osteology, bone chemistry and history.
The correlation between demographic criteria (sex and age) and archaeological variables (burial type and burial location) shows that Salberget was a highly stratified community. Group diets were investigated through analyses of stable isotopes (carbon, δ13C, and nitrogen, δ15N) of bone collagen from a sub-sample of individuals buried at the site (n = 67), interpreted alongside data from human dental lesions and deficiencies, animal bone waste and information on eating habits extracted from the extensive historical documents regarding
mining activities at Salberget. These integrated analyses provide a clear association between social status and diet and confirm that social status, and to a lesser extent sex, gender and age, likely governed food choice and opportunity in this diverse community. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Late medieval/early modern, Preindustrial, Identities, Diet, Documentary sources, Bioarchaeology, Isotopes, Zooarchaeology, Dental palaeopathology
in
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
volume
10
issue
8
pages
2075 - 2094
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85041636740
ISSN
1866-9557
DOI
10.1007/s12520-017-0518-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24888767-42cd-4a89-974a-3d837602331b
date added to LUP
2018-01-17 11:19:35
date last changed
2023-12-02 01:16:37
@article{24888767-42cd-4a89-974a-3d837602331b,
  abstract     = {{This study explores the relationship between dietary patterns and social structure in a pre-industrial mining community in Salberget, Sweden c. 1470 to 1600 A.D. using a combination of different research approaches and tools, including archaeology, osteology, bone chemistry and history.<br/>The correlation between demographic criteria (sex and age) and archaeological variables (burial type and burial location) shows that Salberget was a highly stratified community. Group diets were investigated through analyses of stable isotopes (carbon, δ13C, and nitrogen, δ15N) of bone collagen from a sub-sample of individuals buried at the site (n = 67), interpreted alongside data from human dental lesions and deficiencies, animal bone waste and information on eating habits extracted from the extensive historical documents regarding<br/>mining activities at Salberget. These integrated analyses provide a clear association between social status and diet and confirm that social status, and to a lesser extent sex, gender and age, likely governed food choice and opportunity in this diverse community.}},
  author       = {{Bäckström, Ylva and Mispelaere, Jan and Ingvarsson-Sundström, Anne and Fjellström, Markus and Britton, Kate}},
  issn         = {{1866-9557}},
  keywords     = {{Late medieval/early modern; Preindustrial; Identities; Diet; Documentary sources; Bioarchaeology; Isotopes; Zooarchaeology; Dental palaeopathology}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{2075--2094}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Integrating isotopes and documentary evidence : Dietary patterns in a late medieval and early modern mining community, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12520-017-0518-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s12520-017-0518-1}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}