Fed the same way? Exploring the influence of breastfeeding, weaning, and childhood diet on adult sex ratios through stable isotope analysis of incremental dentine in Medieval Tuscany, Italy (11th-15th c. CE).

ABSTRACT: In this paper we investigate whether infant and childhood feeding practices influenced the imbalanced adult sex ratio reported in medieval Europe from historical and osteological evidence. First, we examine hypotheses for the observed imbalanced sex ratios in Europe and the evidence presented to support these hypotheses. We then use stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of incremental dentine in 64 first molars from adults at three medieval sites (Aulla, Badia Pozzeveri, and Montescudaio) in north-western Tuscany (11th-15th c. CE) to investigate the timing and pattern of breastfeeding and weaning. Our results show that males were exclusively breastfed for a shorter period and were weaned earlier than females in all three samples (Aulla M: 2.2 yrs, F: 2.6 yrs; Badia Pozzeveri M: 2.3 yrs,

SUBMITTER: Amaro A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12822958 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature