Benjamin Irvine

The dietary habits of several pre-historic (3500-2000 BC) populations from different environmental regions of Anatolia were investigated using osteological and stable isotope analyses. The sample sites were: İkiztepe (north Anatolia), Titriş Höyük (south east Anatolia), Bademağacı (south Anatolia), and Bakla Tepe (south west Anatolia).
Whilst there has been substantial research into the dietary habits and subsistence practices of early proto-sedentary and sedentary agricultural populations in Anatolia and in later historical periods (namely the Roman and Byzantine periods), the 4th and 3rd millennia BC in particular have remained a void of information. Instead, research in these periods has focused primarily on material culture, where artefacts are studied individually, largely detached from their surrounding environment and social, cultural, technological, and economic contexts. This study begins to fill this void, employing quantitative scientific methods (stable isotope analyses) to address questions about dietary habits and subsistence practices in these pre-historical periods of Anatolia. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) was employed on bone collagen from ca. 200 human and faunal osteological samples taken from the Anthropology lab of Hacettepe University, Ankara Turkey, and was conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Analysis of sulphur isotopes (δ34S) was employed on bone collagen from ca. 50 human and faunal osteological samples (of the original ca. 200) and was conducted at the laboratory of Simon Fraser University, Canada. Sulphur isotopes of bone collagen from human and animal skeletal samples were analysed to further investigate dietary habits, and in particular the possible consumption of marine, or freshwater resources.
The results provide, for the first time, data and information which bridge the gap between the Neolithic and later Bronze Age societies. They show that during this time, especially the 3rd millennium, in Anatolia there was an incredible degree of homogeneity in dietary habits both at an intra- and inter-site and regional level, with diets being predominantly terrestrial mixed and C3 based. Furthermore, the results suggest that we can now begin to discuss about an ‘EBA package’ with regards to food resources that potentially extends across the Greater Near East.

In this poster a preliminary proposal is presented for a 'subsistence package' in the ‘Early Bronze Age’ of Anatolia and adjacent regions. This follows on from investigating the dietary habits of several prehistoric (3500-2000 BC) populations from different environmental regions of Anatolia, including: İkiztepe (north Anatolia), Titriş Höyük (south east Anatolia), Bademağacı (south Anatolia), and Bakla Tepe (south west Anatolia). Whilst there has been substantial research into the dietary habits and subsistence practices of early sedentary agricultural populations in Anatolia and in later historical periods, the 4th and 3rd millennia BC in particular have been overlooked. Instead, research in these periods has focused primarily on material culture, where artefacts are studied individually, largely detached from their surrounding environment and social, cultural, technological, and economic contexts.
Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) was employed on bone collagen from ca. 200 human and faunal osteological samples and analysis of sulphur isotopes (δ34S) was employed on bone collagen from ca. 50 human and faunal osteological samples (of the original ca. 200). This primary data has been evaluated in conjunction with previously published data including isotopic, archaeobotanical, and archaeozoological data from the Early-Middle Bronze Age Greater Near East. The conclusions of which suggest that there was a narrowing in the range of arable agriculture from a diverse range of plants in the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic to a monotonous and specialised range of cultivated plants in the EBA. Furthermore, livestock management also became a specialised and intensive endeavour.

This talk develops on research as part of a doctorate focusing on examining the dietary habits of several Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) populations in Anatolia which utilised stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. The investigated sites are from different environmental regions and consist of Ikiztepe (north Anatolia, Samsun region, on the Black Sea coast), Titriş Höyük (south east Anatolia, Urfa region), Bademağacı (south Anatolia, Antalya region), and Bakla Tepe (south west Anatolia, in the Izmir region). Sulphur isotopes of bone collagen from human and animal skeletal samples were analysed to further investigate dietary habits, and in particular the possible consumption of marine, or freshwater resources as opposed to solely terrestrial ones.
This research is incredibly significant as it is the first time that quantitative scientific methods, and in particular stable isotopes of sulphur, have been employed to address questions and hypotheses about dietary habits and mobility in the EBA period of Anatolia. Analysis of sulphur isotopes was employed on bone collagen from ca. 50 human and faunal osteological samples taken from the Anthropology lab of Hacettepe University, Ankara Turkey, and was conducted at the laboratory of Simon Fraser University, Canada.
The results, whilst still very preliminary, help to provide supplementary information in defining the dietary habits of this pivotal and important time period and region in the archaeology of the Near East. The data from the sulphur stable isotope analysis supports that of carbon and nitrogen, suggesting that the dietary habits for EBA populations in Anatolia were terrestrial C3 based mixed diets. Furthermore, it supports the fact that marine/aquatic resources played no role (or a at most a negligible one) in EBA Anatolian dietary habits and subsistence practices. Stable isotopes of sulphur have also allowed for the inference of 'foreigners/immigrants' at Bademağacı, Ikiztepe, and Bakla Tepe as well suggesting variable practices in animal and herd management (i.e. movement and possible pastoralism).
These results should be built on in further research, but help to demonstrate the benefit of a multi-isotopic approach as well as further emphasising the need for establishing local isotopic 'baseline' signals and local isoscapes.

This talk is the result of research as part of a doctorate focusing on examining the dietary habits of several Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) populations in Anatolia. The investigated sites are from different environmental regions and consist of Ikiztepe (north Anatolia, Samsun region, on the Black Sea coast), Titriş Höyük (south east Anatolia, Urfa region), Bademağacı (south Anatolia, Antalya region), and Bakla Tepe (south west Anatolia, in the Izmir region).
This research is incredibly significant as it is the first time that quantitative scientific methods have been employed to address questions and hypotheses about dietary habits in the EBA period of Anatolia. It is first time that stable isotope analyses have been used to study dietary habits in EBA Anatolian populations, and is the first project of its kind both in terms of methodology and scale. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) was employed on bone collagen from ca. 200 human and faunal osteological samples taken from the Anthropology lab of Hacettepe University, Ankara Turkey, and was conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
The results show that during the EBA in Anatolia there was an incredible degree of homogeneity in dietary habits both at an intra- and inter-site and regional level, and across the millennium of the EBA with diets being predominantly terrestrial C3 based. Furthermore, the results suggest that we can now begin to discuss about an ‘EBA package’ with regards to food resources.

This poster is the result of research as part of a doctorate focusing on examining the dietary habits of several Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) populations in Anatolia. The investigated sites are from different environmental regions and consist of Ikiztepe (north Anatolia, Samsun region, on the Black Sea coast), Titriş Höyük (south east Anatolia, Urfa region), Bademağacı (south Anatolia, Antalya region), and Bakla Tepe (south west Anatolia, Izmir region).
This research is incredibly significant as it is the first time that quantitative scientific methods have been used to address questions and hypotheses about dietary habits in the EBA period of Anatolia. It is first time that stable isotope analyses have been used to study dietary habits in EBA Anatolian populations, and is the first project of its kind both in terms of methodology and scale. Analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) was employed on bone collagen from ca. 200 human and faunal osteological samples taken from the Anthropology lab of Hacettepe University, Ankara Turkey, and was conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. The research is a bioarchaeological one and therefore it utilises stable isotope analyses in conjunction with osteological and archaeological evidence and research to place the dietary habits of these populations within a wider framework. For example, during the EBA in Anatolia, and especially between the early and late EBA, dramatic changes are seen in architecture, burial habits, and social and socio-political structure including the organisation of urban settlements, resources, food, labour, and trade. There is also an increased incidence of peri-mortem cranial traumatic injuries which are indicative of an increase in inter-personal conflict and arguably an increase in organised violence during the period. This is furthered by the building of fortifications and burnt layers at many EBA settlements in Anatolia.
Despite the substantial social and socio-political changes during the period, the results show that during the EBA in Anatolia there is a significant degree of homogeneity in dietary habits both at an intra- and inter-site and regional level, and across the millennium of the EBA with diets being predominantly terrestrial C3 based. Furthermore, the results suggest that we can now begin to discuss an ‘EBA package’ with regards to food resources.

This presentation discusses the results and data of stable isotope analysis conducted on human and faunal remains from the Early Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC) site of Bakla Tepe in the Izmir region of western Turkey. Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were analysed with the aim of reconstructing and examining the dietary patterns of the prehistoric population. The research and analysis was performed on skeletal elements from 25 humans and also several faunal samples from the EBA I and EBA II/III cemeteries of Bakla Tepe. Collagen extraction followed the procedures outlined by Richards and Hedges (1999) with an extra ultrafiltration step added (Brown et al, 1988). All of the methodology (collagen extraction and mass spectrometry analysis) was performed at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
The results show that the inhabitants subsistence revolved around a terrestrial C3 based mixed diet. The dietary habits are generally consistent and homogeneous throughout, although they become more homogeneous in the later EBA II/III population. It also seems to be clear that not all of the ovis/capra present at the site were consumed, perhaps suggesting the importance of the exploitation of their secondary products. In this case notably wool, as also suggested by the evidence of textile industry at the settlement.

The topic of the research and talk regards the analysis of dietary habits at Early Bronze Age Ikiztepe, north Turkey, utilising stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen with the aim of examining the dietary habits of the Early Bronze Age population of Ikiztepe, as well as examining if there are changes through time or other patterns within the population as well as how they compare to other contemporary populations from elsewhere in Anatolia. This research forms part of an ongoing doctoral thesis.

The research and analysis was performed on human and animal bones from the EBA layers of Ikiztepe. Collagen extraction followed the procedures outlined by Richards and Hedges (1999) with an extra ultrafiltration step added (Brown et al, 1988). All of the methodology (collagen extraction and mass spectrometry analysis) was performed at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

The preliminary δ13C and δ15N results indicate a predominantly terrestrial-based C3 diet with slightly enriched δ15N signals that may indicate either a high animal protein intake, freshwater protein source, or a slight marine component in the diet.
The results’ indication of a predominantly terrestrial-based diet is somewhat surprising regarding EBA Ikiztepe’s proximity to the coast. However, this issue may be resolved/made clearer by ongoing sulphur stable isotope analysis.

In the Early Bronze Age of Anatolia there is a clear shift in terms of material culture, burial customs, architecture, and settlement type, as well as an increase in social complexity and the emergence of elites. There is a noticeable increase in the frequency and size of fortifications, the occurrence of weapons at sites and trauma as a result of inter-personal violence as evidenced by the skeletal remains; all of which have been suggested as indicators of endemic warfare during this period. It has been hypothesised that this time of upheaval and conflict may be the result of political and/or environmental changes and also the movement of populations and material culture from within and into Anatolia from the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, and the Balkans.
This paper focuses on the preliminary results of stable isotope analysis conducted on the Early Bronze Age population from the site of Titriş Höyük. Analysis of the stable isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen from the bones of individuals from this site provide an insight into dietary habits with the aim of applying some tentative answers to hypotheses about changes during this pivotal period in Anatolia.

Çamlıbel Tarlası (3590-3470 cal BC) is a small farming settlement with metallurgical activity in north central Anatolia.
Studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between diet, subsistence patterns, occupational habits and macrowear patterns and dental pathologies.
In total 282 teeth from 26 individuals were macroscopically examined. The results showed that in many ways the inhabitants were typical of a Late Chalcolithic population with a subsistence based on mixed agriculture. Dental wear and pathologies were documented including abrasion, attrition, chipping, ‘cupping’, grooves, caries, calculus and enamel hypoplasias; and an interesting age-differentiated wear pattern, and purple/red discoloured teeth. These dental pathologies and lesions are hypothesised to have been the result of dietary and food processing habits such as the consumption of carbohydrates and the use of grinding stones. Habitual extra masticatory use during the manufacturing of lithics, metal, and fibre processing is also thought to have resulted in the observed dental lesions.

This paper presents the results of isotopic analysis for dietary reconstruction of humans and animal remains from several prehistoric (3500–2000 BCE) populations in Anatolia. The investigated sites are İkiztepe (north Anatolia, Samsun region, on the Black Sea coast), Titriş Höyük (south east Anatolia, Urfa region), Bademağacı (south Anatolia, Antalya region), and Bakla Tepe (south west Anatolia, in the İzmir region). This research utilises the results of stable isotope analyses of carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and sulphur (δ34S) in bone collagen from over 200 human and animal samples in conjunction with published archaeological, archaeobotanical, and archaeozoological data (where present) to address this issue. This study, for the first time, has permitted a wider observation of Early Bronze Age dietary habits and subsistence strategies across the region, as well as examining the nature of dietary habits on an intra- and inter-site level, and temporally across the 3rd millennium BC. The results show that during the EBA in Anatolia there was a general degree of homogeneity in dietary habits at an intra- and inter-site and regional level and across the millennium of the EBA with diets being predominantly terrestrial C3 based.