Isotopic insights into the early Medieval (600–1100 CE) diet in the Luistari cemetery at Eura, Finland

• Published in: Archaeological and anthropological sciences 2022-08, Vol.14 (8), Article 143
• Main Authors: Etu-Sihvola, H., Salo, K., Naito, Y. I., Kytökari, M., Ohkouchi, N., Oinonen, M., Heyd, V., Arppe, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropology; Archaeology; Bones; Carbohydrates; Cemeteries; Chemistry/Food Science; Crops; Diet; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Fish; Freshwater fish; Geography; Humans; Life Sciences; Males; Original Paper; Sheep; Trading
• ISSN: 1866-9557; 1866-9565
• DOI: 10.1007/s12520-022-01613-3

In this article, we present the results of an isotopic study of diet for the early medieval (Merovingian, Viking, Early Christian) humans buried in the unique Luistari cemetery at Eura (ca. 600–1400 CE), southwestern Finland, the largest cemetery of the region. Isotope analysis was conducted on 37 humans for dentine and bone collagen (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, and δ 34 S), and five of them were also studied using compound-specific nitrogen isotope analysis. Dental enamel and/or bone carbonate δ 13 C values were studied from altogether 65 humans, five cattle, and five sheep/goats. The bone and dentine collagen and carbonate data show that throughout the centuries, freshwater fish was a stable part of the diet for the population. Our results do not show systematic dietary differences between estimated males and females, but differences can be large on the individual level. We also discovered a possible temporal change in the enamel carbonate ẟ 13 C values that could be related to the increasing role of carbohydrates (e.g., crops) in the diet. Luistari burials are well comparable to contemporary Swedish Viking trading communities like Birka in their higher protein intake. But contrary to the wider Viking network, they do not show the same marine signal.