Isotopic anthropology of rural German medieval diet: intra- and inter-population variability

This study investigates the diet of an eleventh century CE parish community located in northwestern Germany. We assessed the isotopic compositions of human (n = 24) and faunal (n = 17) bone collagen (δ ¹³C_col, δ ¹⁵N_col) and human structural carbonate (δ ¹³C_sc) using skeletal material recovered from the Dalheim cemetery. Traditional interpretation of the isotopic data indicates that Dalheim residents likely relied on a C₃ plant-based diet and consumed some terrestrial animal products without evidence of marine resource input in the diet. Bivariate and multivariate models used as an additional means to assess diet indicate minor consumption of C₄ plant foods in this community. The multivariate-isotope model identified regional similarities and differences in C₄ plant/marine food consumption and in dietary protein sources by comparing data from Dalheim with those of other medieval sites from the published literature. We did not observe sex differences in this population but differences in δ ¹⁵N_col suggest that juveniles consumed the lowest trophic level protein.     

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THE EVOLUTION OP AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN POLICY 1938–1965. Alan Watt. London, Cambridge University Press, 1967. Pp. x + 387. 60/‐ stg.

FATE AND WILL IN FOREIGN POLICY. James Eayrs. Toronto, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 1967. Pp. 87. ?1.25 (Canadian).

THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE UNITED NATIONS. T. B. Millar. Sydney, Sydney University Press, 1967. Pp. 237. $5.50.

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS. J. D. B. Miller. Brisbane, University of Queensland Press, 1967. Pp. 27. $0.75c.

RACE RELATIONS IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AND THE UNITED NATIONS. Lord Caradon. London, Cambridge University Press. Pp. 25. $0.65c.

THE ROLE OF THE CHINESE ARMY. John Gittings. Issued under the auspices of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Oxford University Press, London, 1967. Pp. xx + 331. $7.80.

BASIC TACTICS. Mao Tse‐tung. Translated and with an introduction by Stuart R. Schram. New York, Praeger, 1966. Pp. v + 149. $5.80.

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THE JAPANESE COMMUNIST MOVEMENT 1920–1966. Robert A. Scalapino. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1967. Pp. 412. $6.50 (US).

THE COMMUNIST MOVEMENT IN IRAN. Sepehr Zabir. University of California Press, 1967. Pp. xiv + 279. 48/‐ (stg.).

PROBLEMS OF SMALLER TERRITORIES. Burton Benedict (ed.). University of London, The Athlone Press, 1967. Pp. 153.

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AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION: A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND DIGEST. Charles A. Price (ed.). Australian National University, 1966.

THE LAW OF THE SEA AND AUSTRALIAN OFF‐SHORE AREAS. R. D. Lumb. St. Lucia, University of Queensland Press, 1966. Pp. 86. $2.85.

RELIGION, POLITICS AND ECONOMIC BEHAVIOUR IN JAVA: THE KUDUS CIGARETTE INDUSTRY. Lance Castles. Yale Southeast Asia Studies, Cultural Report Series no. 15, 1967. Pp. vii + 158.

IDEOLOGY IN INDONESIA: SUKARNO'S INDONESIAN REVOLUTION. Donald E. Weatherbee. Monograph Series No. 8, Southeast Asia Studies, Yale University, 1966. Pp. x + 135.