Table 3 Summary table of previous studies investigating medieval diets through multi-analytical approaches applied to medieval dental calculus, bone, and ceramic vessels.
Reference | Sites | Chronology | Location | Analysis * | N. Individuals | Main Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
This study | Früebergstr.- Baar | 7th century CE | Switzerland | 1. Shotgun proteomics | 28 | - plant proteins (cereals and Pentapetalae) - dairy products - fluvial resources (P. fluviatilis) |
Dalheim | 9th − 12th centuries CE | Nord Rhein-Westphalia, Germany | 1.aDNA (targeted and shotgun) 2.Proteomics 3.TLM 4. Isotopes | 4 | - starch grains of Fabaceae/Triticeae - animal collagen fibers - sheep, crucifer, pig or boar (genetic data) - C3 plants and terrestrial animal resources | |
Dalheim | 9th − 12th centuries CE | Nord Rhein-Westphalia, Germany | 1. Stable isotope analysis (bone, dentin) (C, N) | 24 | - terrestrial resources; C3 plants - minor consumption of C4 plants | |
This study | Dalheim | 9th − 12th centuries CE | Nord Rhein-Westphalia, Germany | 1. Stable isotope analysis (bone, dentin) (C, N) 2. Shotgun proteomics | 8 (isotopes) 24 (proteomics) | - plant proteins (cereals, legumes, e.g. P. sativum, Pentapetalae, Chenopodiaceae) - fluvial resources (P. fluviatilis) |
Altenerding/ Straubing-Bajuwarenstrasse | 5th − 7th centuries CE | Bavaria, Germany | 1. Stable isotope analysis (bone) (C, N) | 179 | - C3 plants - low animal products | |
8 sites | 5th − 7th centuries CE | Bavaria, Germany | - Stable isotope analysis (bone, dentin) (C, N) | 102 (bone) 24 (dentin) | - C3 plants - low intake of meats - low amounts of freshwater fish | |
9 sites | 6th − 11th centuries CE | South Tyrol, Italy | 1. Stable isotope analysis (bone) (C, N, S) | 91 | - C3 plants - C4 plants - terrestrial animal products | |
Santa Severa | 5th − 7th CE | Lazio, Italy | 1. Stable isotope analysis 2. TLM (calculus) and 3. GC–MS (calculus) 4. aDNA (calculus) | −120 −94 | - C3-terrestrial protein; minor - C4 plant consumption - metabolites herbs and wine - medicinal plants (e.g., Punica granatum, Ephedra sp.) | |
Mikulčice | 9th − 10th centuries CE | Czech Republic | - Stable isotope analysis (dentin, bone) | 92 | - C3 plants - C4 plants - meats | |
San Pietro | 7th − 16th centuries CE | Veneto, Italy | 1. Stable isotope analysis (bone) 2. TLM (calculus) | 6 | - C3 plants - C4 plants - terrestrial animal products | |
14 sites | 8th century BC − 19th century CE | UK | 1. Shotgun proteomics (calculus) | 100 | - dairy products - plant proteins (Avena sativa, Pisum sativum) - one animal protein, i.e., haemoglobin (Pecora) | |
Colonna | 8th − 10 th centuries CE | Lazio, Italy | 1. TLM (calculus) 2. GC–MS (calculus) | 47 | - microremains of both C3 and C4 plants - chromatographic data: aquatic resources, wine, tea, medicinal plants | |
Tjaerby | 12th − 16th centuries CE | Denmark | 1. Shotgun proteomics (calculus) | 21 | - dairy products - plant proteins (Avena sativa) | |
Dunes Abbey of Koksijde | 12th − 15th centuries CE | Belgium | - Stable isotope analysis (bone) (C, N) | 19 | - terrestrial meats and marine resources | |
West Cotton | 10th − 15 th centuries CE | Northamptonshire, UK | 1. Stable isotope analysis (pottery) 2. GC–MS (pottery) | 123 bits from 73 vessels | - dairy products - cruciferous vegetables |
