Dietary habits in the Byzantine Western Anatolia: a stable isotope examination of Adramytteion skeletons

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 2, 57 - 69, 31.12.2025

Ayşegül Şahin , Derya Atamtürk , Turhan Doğan , İzzet Duyar

Abstract

This study aims to focus on the dietary habits of the inhabitants of Adramytteion (Burhaniye, Balıkesir), located within the borders of today's Anatolia and inhabited during the Early/Middle Byzantine Period, in order to identify the predominant food preferences of these people in the period and geography in which they lived, shed light on their subsistence economy, and analyze how this was reflected in their nutrition and lifestyle. The material for the study consists of 23 adult individuals buried in graves located in Area C (Churches Area) and its surroundings. Individuals were selected criteria such as gender and age group.

In the study, dietary habits were determined by measuring the δ13C and δ15N isotope analysis of bone collagen. Subsequently, attempts were made to determine social status differences between age and gender groups. Elemental Analysis-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA-IRMS) was used for bone collagen isotope analysis measurements.

The data obtained show that the δ13C values of adult individuals in Adramytteion range from a maximum of -18.5‰ to a minimum of -19.74‰, with an average of -19.23‰; δ15N values range from a maximum of 10.77‰ to a minimum of 7.17‰, with an average of 9.35‰. These data indicate that the Adramytteion community was primarily fed by terrestrial C3 plants and animals. The difference between the minimum and maximum values for δ13C and δ15N is 1.24‰ and 3.6‰, respectively. Statistical analysis of the wide distribution range observed between δ15N values revealed a significant relationship between age group and dietary habits.

Keywords

Adramytteion , Byzantine , Stabil Isotope Analysis , Paleodiet

Supporting Institution

Istanbul University

Project Number

37489

Thanks

This study is derived from the doctoral thesis titled “A Comparative Study of Dietary Patterns in Panaztepe, Adramytteion and Yoncatepe Skeletal Collections by Stable Isotope Analysis,” prepared by the first author under the supervision of the second author at the Department of Anthropology, Institute of Social Sciences, Istanbul University. It is also a revised and expanded version of the book chapter titled “Determination of Dietary Habits of Adramytteion People in the Byzantine Period Using Stable Isotope Analysis” in “Colloquium Mysium I: Mysia and Neighboring Cultures” (2025, Ed. Alper S., Özgen, H.M., p. 1-17). We would like to thank the Scientific Research Project Coordination Unit of Istanbul University (IU-BAP) (Project nos. 37489, 36688) for providing financial support for the study and the TUBITAK MAM researchers and Dr. H. Murat Özgen, Head of Adramytteion Research Unit, and his team for their technical contributions to the work.

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