Adult and early childhood diet of early medieval untypical population group of Central Europe (10th century AD, Czech Republic) in relation to the health status

0486881 - ARÚ 2018 RIV US eng A - Abstrakt
Kaupová, S. - Velemínský, P. - Stránská, Petra - Tomková, Kateřina
Adult and early childhood diet of early medieval untypical population group of Central Europe (10th century AD, Czech Republic) in relation to the health status.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Wiley. Roč. 162, S64 (2017), s. 239. ISSN 0002-9483. E-ISSN 1096-8644.
[Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists /86./. 19.04.2017-22.04.2017, New Orleans]
Grant CEP: GA ČR GB14-36938G
Institucionální podpora: RVO:67985912
Klíčová slova: Early Middle Ages * diet * anthropology * Central Europe
Obor OECD: Archaeology
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajpa.23210/pdf

The aim of this study was to uncover the causes of the distinct characteristics of the 10th population group from Prague - the Milady Horákové cemetery. The demographic structure of this sample was atypical for its majority of subadults and almost absence of males. Also, a high incidence of skeletal pathologies and dental anomalies was observed. The total area of the cemetery was excavated. According to the grave goods found, it was probably the cemetery of the middle class. Adult diet was explored through the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of bone collagen. Moreover, diet and health during infancy and early childhood was explored based on the stable isotope analysis of dentin serial sections of M1 and by the recently developed approach of the micro-CT analysis of linear enamel hypoplasia. The stable isotope analysis revealed that the diet of this sample differed from the rest of the early medieval population of Prague by a lower proportion of both animal protein and C4 plants. The analysis of childhood diet revealed the introduction of supplementary food at or before 6 months of age and the gradual cessation of breastfeeding, completed around 3 years on average with substantial variability. The incidence and timing of LEH is discussed in relation to the isotopic dietary signal.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0281593