Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal: A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal

Alice Toso; Simona  Schifano; Charlotte  Oxborough; Krista McGrath; Luke Spindler; Anabela  Castro; Lucy  Evangelista; Vanessa  Filipe; Maria João  Gonçalves; Antonio  Marques; Inês Mendes  da Silva; Raquel  Santos; Maria João  Valente; Iona  McCleery; Michelle Marie Alexander

doi:10.1002/ajpa.24343

Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal: A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal

Alice Toso, Simona Schifano, Charlotte Oxborough, Krista McGrath, Luke Spindler, Anabela Castro, Lucy Evangelista, Vanessa Filipe, Maria João Gonçalves, Antonio Marques, Inês Mendes da Silva, Raquel Santos, Maria João Valente, Iona McCleery, Michelle Marie Alexander

Archaeology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Objectives
During the Middle Ages, Portugal witnessed unprecedented socioeconomic and religious changes under transitioning religious political rule. The implications of changing ruling powers for urban food systems and individual diets in medieval Portugal is poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the dietary impact of the Islamic and Christian conquests.

Materials and methods
Radiocarbon dating, peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of animal (n=59) and human skeletal remains (n=205) from Muslim and Christian burials were used to characterise the diet of a large historical sample from Portugal. A Bayesian stable isotope mixing model (BSIMM) was used to estimate the contribution of marine protein to human diet.

Results
Early medieval (8th-12th century), pre-conquest urban Muslim populations had mean (±1sd) values of -18.8±0.4 ‰ for δ13C 10.4±1 ‰ for δ15N, indicating a predominantly terrestrial diet, while late medieval (12th-14th century) post-conquest Muslim and Christian populations showed a greater reliance on marine resources with mean (±1sd) values of -17.9 ±1.3‰ for δ13C and 11.1±1.1‰ for δ15N. BSIMM estimation supported a significant increase in the contribution of marine resources to human diet.

Discussion
The results provide the first biomolecular evidence for a dietary revolution that is not evidenced in contemporaneous historical accounts. We find that society transitioned from a largely agro-pastoral economy under Islamic rule to one characterised by a new focus on marine resources under later Christian rule. This economic change led to the naissance of the marine economy that went on to characterise the early-modern period in Portugal and its global expansion.

Original language	English
Journal	American Journal of Physical Anthropology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24343
Publication status	Published - 10 Jun 2021

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Bioarchaeology
Portugal
Medieval
Fishing
Palaeodiet

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10.1002/ajpa.24343Licence: CC BY

Beyond faith: Biomolecular evidence for changing urbaneconomies in multi-faith medieval Portugal
© 2021 The Authors
Final published version, 2.89 MBLicence: CC BY

WRoCAH White Rose PhD Network "Faith in Food and Food in Faith" (lead, Michelle Alexander, Archaeology)
Alexander, M. M.
29/09/14 → 29/09/18
Project: Other project › Miscellaneous project

Cite this

Toso, A., Schifano, S., Oxborough, C., McGrath, K., Spindler, L., Castro, A., Evangelista, L., Filipe, V., Gonçalves, M. J., Marques, A., da Silva, I. M., Santos, R., Valente, M. J., McCleery, I., & Alexander, M. M. (2021). Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal: A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24343

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title = "Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal: A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal",

abstract = "ObjectivesDuring the Middle Ages, Portugal witnessed unprecedented socioeconomic and religious changes under transitioning religious political rule. The implications of changing ruling powers for urban food systems and individual diets in medieval Portugal is poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the dietary impact of the Islamic and Christian conquests. Materials and methodsRadiocarbon dating, peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of animal (n=59) and human skeletal remains (n=205) from Muslim and Christian burials were used to characterise the diet of a large historical sample from Portugal. A Bayesian stable isotope mixing model (BSIMM) was used to estimate the contribution of marine protein to human diet. ResultsEarly medieval (8th-12th century), pre-conquest urban Muslim populations had mean (±1sd) values of -18.8±0.4 ‰ for δ13C 10.4±1 ‰ for δ15N, indicating a predominantly terrestrial diet, while late medieval (12th-14th century) post-conquest Muslim and Christian populations showed a greater reliance on marine resources with mean (±1sd) values of -17.9 ±1.3‰ for δ13C and 11.1±1.1‰ for δ15N. BSIMM estimation supported a significant increase in the contribution of marine resources to human diet. DiscussionThe results provide the first biomolecular evidence for a dietary revolution that is not evidenced in contemporaneous historical accounts. We find that society transitioned from a largely agro-pastoral economy under Islamic rule to one characterised by a new focus on marine resources under later Christian rule. This economic change led to the naissance of the marine economy that went on to characterise the early-modern period in Portugal and its global expansion.",

keywords = "Bioarchaeology, Portugal, Medieval, Fishing, Palaeodiet",

author = "Alice Toso and Simona Schifano and Charlotte Oxborough and Krista McGrath and Luke Spindler and Anabela Castro and Lucy Evangelista and Vanessa Filipe and Gon{\c c}alves, {Maria Jo{\~a}o} and Antonio Marques and {da Silva}, {In{\^e}s Mendes} and Raquel Santos and Valente, {Maria Jo{\~a}o} and Iona McCleery and Alexander, {Michelle Marie}",

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year = "2021",

month = jun,

day = "10",

doi = "10.1002/ajpa.24343",

language = "English",

journal = "American Journal of Physical Anthropology",

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Toso, A, Schifano, S, Oxborough, C, McGrath, K, Spindler, L, Castro, A, Evangelista, L, Filipe, V, Gonçalves, MJ, Marques, A, da Silva, IM, Santos, R, Valente, MJ, McCleery, I & Alexander, MM 2021, 'Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal: A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal', American Journal of Physical Anthropology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24343

TY - JOUR

T1 - Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal

T2 - A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal

AU - Toso, Alice

AU - Schifano, Simona

AU - Oxborough, Charlotte

AU - McGrath, Krista

AU - Spindler, Luke

AU - Castro, Anabela

AU - Evangelista, Lucy

AU - Filipe, Vanessa

AU - Gonçalves, Maria João

AU - Marques, Antonio

AU - da Silva, Inês Mendes

AU - Santos, Raquel

AU - Valente, Maria João

AU - McCleery, Iona

AU - Alexander, Michelle Marie

PY - 2021/6/10

Y1 - 2021/6/10

N2 - ObjectivesDuring the Middle Ages, Portugal witnessed unprecedented socioeconomic and religious changes under transitioning religious political rule. The implications of changing ruling powers for urban food systems and individual diets in medieval Portugal is poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the dietary impact of the Islamic and Christian conquests. Materials and methodsRadiocarbon dating, peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of animal (n=59) and human skeletal remains (n=205) from Muslim and Christian burials were used to characterise the diet of a large historical sample from Portugal. A Bayesian stable isotope mixing model (BSIMM) was used to estimate the contribution of marine protein to human diet. ResultsEarly medieval (8th-12th century), pre-conquest urban Muslim populations had mean (±1sd) values of -18.8±0.4 ‰ for δ13C 10.4±1 ‰ for δ15N, indicating a predominantly terrestrial diet, while late medieval (12th-14th century) post-conquest Muslim and Christian populations showed a greater reliance on marine resources with mean (±1sd) values of -17.9 ±1.3‰ for δ13C and 11.1±1.1‰ for δ15N. BSIMM estimation supported a significant increase in the contribution of marine resources to human diet. DiscussionThe results provide the first biomolecular evidence for a dietary revolution that is not evidenced in contemporaneous historical accounts. We find that society transitioned from a largely agro-pastoral economy under Islamic rule to one characterised by a new focus on marine resources under later Christian rule. This economic change led to the naissance of the marine economy that went on to characterise the early-modern period in Portugal and its global expansion.

AB - ObjectivesDuring the Middle Ages, Portugal witnessed unprecedented socioeconomic and religious changes under transitioning religious political rule. The implications of changing ruling powers for urban food systems and individual diets in medieval Portugal is poorly understood. This study aimed to elucidate the dietary impact of the Islamic and Christian conquests. Materials and methodsRadiocarbon dating, peptide mass fingerprinting (ZooMS) and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of animal (n=59) and human skeletal remains (n=205) from Muslim and Christian burials were used to characterise the diet of a large historical sample from Portugal. A Bayesian stable isotope mixing model (BSIMM) was used to estimate the contribution of marine protein to human diet. ResultsEarly medieval (8th-12th century), pre-conquest urban Muslim populations had mean (±1sd) values of -18.8±0.4 ‰ for δ13C 10.4±1 ‰ for δ15N, indicating a predominantly terrestrial diet, while late medieval (12th-14th century) post-conquest Muslim and Christian populations showed a greater reliance on marine resources with mean (±1sd) values of -17.9 ±1.3‰ for δ13C and 11.1±1.1‰ for δ15N. BSIMM estimation supported a significant increase in the contribution of marine resources to human diet. DiscussionThe results provide the first biomolecular evidence for a dietary revolution that is not evidenced in contemporaneous historical accounts. We find that society transitioned from a largely agro-pastoral economy under Islamic rule to one characterised by a new focus on marine resources under later Christian rule. This economic change led to the naissance of the marine economy that went on to characterise the early-modern period in Portugal and its global expansion.

KW - Bioarchaeology

KW - Portugal

KW - Medieval

KW - Fishing

KW - Palaeodiet

U2 - 10.1002/ajpa.24343

DO - 10.1002/ajpa.24343

M3 - Article

SN - 0002-9483

JO - American Journal of Physical Anthropology

JF - American Journal of Physical Anthropology

ER -

Beyond faith: biomolecular evidence for changing urban economies in multi-faith medieval Portugal: A dietary revolution in late medieval Portugal

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Projects

WRoCAH White Rose PhD Network "Faith in Food and Food in Faith" (lead, Michelle Alexander, Archaeology)

Cite this