DIETARY RECONSTRUCTION OF MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN SPANISH POPULATIONS USING STABLE ISOTOPES OF CARBON AND NITROGEN ____________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, Chico ____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Anthropology ____________ by © Amy T. MacKinnon 2015 Spring 2015 DIETARY RECONSTRUCTION OF MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN SPANISH POPULATIONS USING STABLE ISOTOPES OF CARBON AND NITROGEN A Thesis by Amy T. MacKinnon Spring 2015 APPROVED BY THE DEAN OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND VICE PROVOST FOR RESEARCH: _________________________________ Eun K. Park, Ph.D. APPROVED BY THE GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: ______________________________ _________________________________ Guy Q. King, Ph.D. Eric J. Bartelink, Ph.D., Chair Graduate Coordinator _________________________________ Georgia L. Fox, Ph.D. PUBLICATION RIGHTS No portion of this thesis may be reprinted or reproduced in any manner unacceptable to the usual copyright restrictions without the written permission of the author. iii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the memory of my grandparents Ermineo Claude Paul Seita April 21, 1921 – February 11, 2015 and Velma Watson Seita January 28, 1923 – March 12, 2015 “Chi tard’arriva mal’alloggia” iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge with gratitude my thesis committee Dr. Eric Bartelink and Dr. Georgia Fox. Thank you for your support, enthusiasm, and encouragement. I would like to thank Dr. Bartelink especially for introducing me to this project and for training me in the techniques of preparing samples for stable isotope analysis. I would also like to thank Dr. Nicholas V. Passalacqua (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Command) who had the foresight to sample the collection for stable isotope analysis. To all of you, thank you for providing me with this opportunity. Stable isotope analysis of bone collagen was completed under the supervision of Dr. Joy Matthews at the UC Davis Stable Isotope Facility in the Department of Plant Sciences. Stable isotope analysis of bone apatite analysis was conducted under the direction of Dr. Howard Spero at the UC Davis Stable Isotope Laboratory, Department of Geology, and by Dr. Dave Williams at the University of Wyoming Stable Isotope Facility. Access to the collection was graciously provided by the Museo de Arqueológico de Asturias, under the direction of Jorge Camino Mayor. To Mr. Camino Mayor and Ms. Sofia Diaz thank you for your support and assistance with this project. I would like to thank Dr. Char Prieto, California State University, whose translation of my proposal facilitated access to the collection. While in Asturias I had the fortunate opportunity to meet Dr. Ángel Villa Valdés. I thank you for the conversation on Asturian history, tour of historic sites, and for you and your family’s gracious hospitality. v I would also like to thank Dr. Antoinette Martinez for her guidance and support. To my lab partners Stefanie Kline, Julia Prince, and Alina Tichinin, I thank you for your camaraderie and assistance. I would like to thank Connor Buitenhuys and Julia Prince for assisting with faunal identifications at the Zooarchaeology Lab, CSU Chico. I would like to thank Rebecca George and Daniel Burk, DDS for the discussions on teeth. To Martha Nuño Diaz for her assistance with translation of Medieval Spanish, Gracias. To my mentors and friends Karen Smith Gardner and Kristina Crawford I thank you for your encouragement and support. To my parents Leona Seita Burk, who supported my dreams, and to my father James Burk who encouraged me to travel to Asturias to sample from the collection, I thank both of you for always teaching me that, “the world is your oyster.” To my husband, Alex MacKinnon, thank you for your selfless willingness to relocate so I could pursue my degree, for the unquestioning support, and all the delicious meals. I love you. This research was supported by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, CSU Chico, Strategic Performance Funding Grant. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Publication Rights ...................................................................................................... iii Dedication................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................... v List of Tables.............................................................................................................. x List of Figures............................................................................................................. xii Abstract....................................................................................................................... xv CHAPTER I. Introduction.............................................................................................. 1 Importance of this Study to Bioarchaeology................................ 2 The Medieval Diet........................................................................ 2 Mortuary Practices........................................................................ 3 Reconstructing Human Diet in Medieval Spain........................... 4 Hypotheses ................................................................................... 5 Thesis Organization...................................................................... 8 II. Historical Perspectives on Medieval and Early Modern Asturias, Spain.......................................................................................... 10 Introduction .................................................................................. 10 Iberian Prehistory ......................................................................... 13 The Decline of Roman Hispania .................................................. 15 The Rise of Islam in Spain ........................................................... 18 The Reconquest ............................................................................ 20 Spain’s Centuries of Crisis ........................................................... 22 The Golden Age of Spain............................................................. 29 The Decline of the Spanish Empire.............................................. 30 The Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries ........................... 33 Summary....................................................................................... 34 vii CHAPTER PAGE III. Medieval and Early Modern Mortuary Practices ..................................... 36 Introduction .................................................................................. 36 Burial Ad Sanctos ......................................................................... 37 Origins of Ad Sanctos Burial........................................................ 39 Last Wills and Testaments............................................................ 41 Sacred Space................................................................................. 42 Summary....................................................................................... 45 IV. Medieval and Early Modern Foodways ................................................... 46 Foodways...................................................................................... 46 Dietetics........................................................................................ 48 Geography and Climate................................................................ 50 The Medieval and Early Modern Menu ....................................... 51 Meat Consumption Differences Between the Socioeconomic Classes......................................................... 64 Fasting Practices........................................................................... 73 Hypotheses ................................................................................... 75 Summary....................................................................................... 79 V. Theoretical Framework and Review of Dietary Studies in Spain ............ 81 Importance of this Study to Bioarchaeology................................ 81 Stable Isotope Analysis ................................................................ 82 Human Nutrition and Stable Isotopes........................................... 87 Trophic Level, Elevated Nitrogen and Manure Fertilizers........... 89 Stable Isotope Studies of Medieval Spanish Populations............. 91 Summary....................................................................................... 99 VI. Materials and Methods ............................................................................. 101 Sampling Methodology ................................................................ 112 Sample Preparation....................................................................... 113 Tests of Sample Quality ............................................................... 116 Summary....................................................................................... 119 VII. Results of Stable Isotope Analysis ........................................................... 120 Asturian Food Web....................................................................... 121 Results from Collagen Analysis ................................................... 127 Results from Apatite Analysis...................................................... 127 viii CHAPTER PAGE 1. Medieval Necropolis of Castro de Chao Samartín..................