What does this research mean for the field?

Individuals in the Viking Age Lejasbitēni population experienced a significant dietary shift from childhood to adulthood, consuming a more homogeneous adulthood diet dominated by terrestrial C3-based resources that did not clearly correlate with gender or social status. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate dietary changes between childhood and adulthood and investigate potential links between diet, gender, and social status in an Iron Age population from Latvia.

September 8, 2026Estonian Journal of ArchaeologyOpen Access

Comparing childhood and adulthood diets in a Viking Age population from the Lejasbitēni cemetery, Latvia: a pilot study

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Authors

EPElīna Pētersone-Gordina GGGuntis Gerhards AVAntonija Vilcāne

Discussion

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Overview

Bioarchaeological analysis reveals dietary shifts from childhood to adulthood in an Iron Age population, suggesting life-course transitions independent of grave wealth.

Key Points

To evaluate dietary changes between childhood and adulthood and investigate potential links between diet, gender, and social status in an Iron Age population from Latvia.
Analyzed stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in bone collagen from 12 adult skeletons from the Lejasbitēni cemetery (7th–10th centuries CE) and two non-adults from the later Liv culture.
Compared adult bone isotope values to previously measured first molar (M1) root dentine isotope profiles representing childhood diet in five individuals with usable paired data.
Adult bone collagen showed low regional δ13C and δ15N values indicating a terrestrial C3-plant diet with low-trophic-level animal protein, with no significant differences across gender groups or grave wealth.
Paired tissue comparisons demonstrated a significant life-course dietary shift, with 5 of 5 individuals showing increased δ13C and 4 of 5 individuals showing decreased δ15N from childhood dentine to adult bone.

Cite This Study

Pētersone-Gordina et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd75858e84d0ff5b45e77 https://doi.org/10.3176/arch.2026.2.02

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September 8, 2026Estonian Journal of ArchaeologyOpen Access

Comparing childhood and adulthood diets in a Viking Age population from the Lejasbitēni cemetery, Latvia: a pilot study

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

EPElīna Pētersone-Gordina GGGuntis Gerhards AVAntonija Vilcāne

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Bioarchaeological analysis reveals dietary shifts from childhood to adulthood in an Iron Age population, suggesting life-course transitions independent of grave wealth.

Key Points

To evaluate dietary changes between childhood and adulthood and investigate potential links between diet, gender, and social status in an Iron Age population from Latvia.
Analyzed stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in bone collagen from 12 adult skeletons from the Lejasbitēni cemetery (7th–10th centuries CE) and two non-adults from the later Liv culture.
Compared adult bone isotope values to previously measured first molar (M1) root dentine isotope profiles representing childhood diet in five individuals with usable paired data.
Adult bone collagen showed low regional δ13C and δ15N values indicating a terrestrial C3-plant diet with low-trophic-level animal protein, with no significant differences across gender groups or grave wealth.
Paired tissue comparisons demonstrated a significant life-course dietary shift, with 5 of 5 individuals showing increased δ13C and 4 of 5 individuals showing decreased δ15N from childhood dentine to adult bone.

Cite This Study

Pētersone-Gordina et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd75858e84d0ff5b45e77 https://doi.org/10.3176/arch.2026.2.02

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