Stable Isotope Analysis of the Diet of Romans and Langobards in the Veneto from Late Antiquity to the Medieval Period

Summary

Limited isotopic research has been conducted in the Veneto, Italy during the transitional period after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and arrival of the Germanic Langobards in the sixth century AD. Questions remain of the local implications of diet during this period of instability, when invasions and population decline occurred. Thus, this research compares Roman and Langobard populations from late antiquity to the medieval period using stable isotope analysis on bone collagen, apatite, and tooth enamel for 78 human individuals and 10 faunal remains to investigate diet in the Veneto. The results indicate variations in diet within and between the populations. The late antiquity sites are more consistent with a C3 plant diet with some marine and terrestrial animal contributions, while the Langobard sites are varied. This study shows that in late antiquity people in the Veneto still relied on a traditional Roman diet of fish and C3 resources after the fall of the Western Roman Empire; however, the incoming Langobards show variation in their utilization of resources, with some consuming more of a C4 diet with millet. This preliminary research may indicate a change in resource allocation during the initial transition into Italy for the Langobards.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 83rd Annual Meeting, Washington, DC (2018)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 19943