Saint-Jean de Todon and Saint-Victor-la-Coste: exploring diet and social status in medieval southern France (C. 9TH – 13TH AD) using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses

Abstract

Religion played an important role in many facets of life during the Middle Ages; however, most knowledge comes from historical documents of the elite and church leaders and biochemical signatures from skeletons buried in church cemeteries. This research explores diet among individuals buried in contemporaneous cemeteries that served individuals of distinct social statuses, the elite site of Saint-Jean de Todon (9th – 13th century AD), and the lower-status site of Saint-Victor-la-Coste (9th – 13th century AD). Individuals from Saint-Jean de Todon (n = 173) show a δ¹³C value range from − 21.6 to − 17.4‰ and a δ¹⁵N value range from 8.1 to 12.5‰. Individuals from Saint-Victor-la-Coste (n = 16) show a δ¹³C‰ value range from − 20.9 to − 18.3‰ and a δ¹⁵N value range from 8.6 to 10.8‰. There were statistically significant differences for δ¹⁵N values between males and females at Saint-Jean de Todon (p = .025), suggesting males having more animal protein in their diet. A statistical significance in comparison of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N between Saint-Jean de Todon and Saint-Victor-la-Coste was found (p < .001 and p = .002, respectively), indicating differential diet due to status differences of the burial populations. The variety in burial styles at Saint-Jean de Todon suggest individuals with differing levels of social power; however, isotopically, their diet is similar to the rest of the cemetery population.