Children of the grave: Investigating non-adult feeding practices in medieval and early modern Estonia through stable isotope analysis.

ABSTRACT: Studying infant diet and feeding practices through stable isotope analysis provides direct insight into the life and health of vulnerable population groups in the past. Although the general diet in medieval and early modern Livonia has been reconstructed from written sources, little is known about childhood diet during this tumultuous period of Eastern European history. This study presents a comparative investigation of the staple non-adult diet in urban/rural communities during the 13th-17th centuries AD, with a special focus on feeding practices. We aim to reveal the impact of socio-economic circumstances on early childhood nutrition, which affects the physical development and overall survival of this susceptible population group. Bone collagen samples from 176 individuals between the fe

SUBMITTER: Morrone A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9812304 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature