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) |
| 45 | 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 |
| 61 | 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) |
| 78 |
Altenerding/ Straubing-Bajuwarenstrasse |
5th − 7th centuries CE | Bavaria, Germany | 1. Stable isotope analysis (bone) (C, N) | 179 |
- C3 plants - low animal products |
| 79 | 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 |
| 4 | 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 |
| 46 | 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.) |
| 80 | Mikulčice | 9th − 10th centuries CE | Czech Republic | - Stable isotope analysis (dentin, bone) | 92 |
- C3 plants - C4 plants - meats |
| 81 | San Pietro | 7th − 16th centuries CE | Veneto, Italy |
1. Stable isotope analysis (bone) 2. TLM (calculus) |
6 |
- C3 plants - C4 plants - terrestrial animal products |
| 28 | 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) |
| 43 | 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 |
| 35 | Tjaerby | 12th − 16th centuries CE | Denmark | 1. Shotgun proteomics (calculus) | 21 |
- dairy products - plant proteins (Avena sativa) |
| 82 | Dunes Abbey of Koksijde | 12th − 15th centuries CE | Belgium | - Stable isotope analysis (bone) (C, N) | 19 | - terrestrial meats and marine resources |
| 83 | 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 |
*TLM: Transmitted Light Microscopy; GC–MS: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy; aDNA: ancient DNA.