@article{36740d031e9147eab2eb75bd3ecc5204,
title = "Exploring Dietary Differentiation in the Roman Province of Macedonia: Isotopic Evidence from Pontokomi-Vrysi and Nea Kerdylia-Strovolos",
abstract = "This paper used stable isotope analysis (δ 13C and δ 15N) to examine whether intra- and inter-site sex and age differences existed within two distinct communities of Roman Macedonia in relation to the dietary preferences of their inhabitants. It also explored the degree of influence that the micro-ecology characterising the sub-region each community used to reside and the social status of these individuals had in determining the observed dietary profiles. The results showed no sex and age intra-community differences, but did reveal important inter-site differences. Together these observed patterns have implications regarding the way archaeologists and more specifically bioarchaeologists still examine social groups in relation to food; oversimplified divisions on inequalities in the household domain need to be reconsidered, or at least justified. They also show the potential bioarchaeology holds to enlighten aspects of the social history of the {\textquoteleft}common{\textquoteright} people residing in the provinces. It lastly argues for the potential of science-based approaches to the study of food to provide supplementary information regarding past dietary preferences that can be used as a proxy to detect variable degrees of incorporation into the globalising networks of the Roman world and argues for a closer collaboration between bioarchaeology and current theoretical discussions on Romanization.",
keywords = "bioarchaeology, diet, human remains, Roman Macedonia, sex and age differences, stable isotopes",
author = "Chryssa Vergidou and Georgia Karamitrou-Mentessidi and Penelope Malama and Konstantinos Darakis and Dee, {Michael W.} and Sofia Voutsaki and Efthymia Nikita and Petra Vaiglova",
note = "Funding Information: This research was conducted at the Archaeological Museums of Aiani and Amphipolis in Greece. The authors would like to thank the staff of the conservation section of both museums for helping in the sampling process. Our special thanks are extended to the director of the Ephorate of Antiquities in Kozani, Dr. A. Chondrogianni-Metoki, the director of the Ephorate of Antiquities in Serres, Dr. D. Malamidou, and all colleagues working at both museums, who supported and encouraged our work. Our warmest gratitude goes also to Dr. G. Kazantzis for helping in the animal bones sampling process, and to the personnel at the Center of Isotopes Research in Groningen and especially Anita Aerts-Bijma for providing all necessary information on the Center's standards and protocols. Finally, we wish to thank Mahmoud Mardini for helping with the preparation and editing of the figures of the manuscript and Chryssa Tsimopoulou for helping in the macroscopic data collection from NKS. This study was financially supported by the University of Groningen and The Cyprus Institute. EN's contribution was supported by the Dan David Prize. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Association for Environmental Archaeology 2023.",
year = "2023",
month = sep,
day = "7",
doi = "10.1080/14614103.2023.2248774",
language = "English",
journal = "Environmental Archaeology",
issn = "1461-4103",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis Group",
}