Stable Isotope and Radiocarbon Analysis for Diet, Climate and Mobility Reconstruction in Agras (Early Iron Age) and Edessa (Roman Age), Northern Greece

In this article we present an isotopic analysis of human bone collagen (delta C-13(col), and delta N-15(col)) and bone apatite (delta C-13) for diet reconstruction, as well as delta O-18(ap) of human bone apatite for climate reconstruction, using samples from Northern Greece. Radiocarbon dating analysis was conducted on three of the Agras samples and the results (from 1000 to 800 BC) correspond to the Early Iron Age. Isotopic values for delta C-13(col) range from -20.5 parts per thousand to -16 parts per thousand and for delta N-15(col) from 6 parts per thousand to 11.1 parts per thousand-a strong indication of a C3-based diet, with contributions by C4 and freshwater fish elements. The results were compared to the ones from Roman Edessa, and Alexandreia (a contemporary city near Edessa), as well as to other Early Iron sites in Greece and wider Europe. In general, the results from Agras are in good agreement with the results from Northern Greece, with the exception of the Makriyalos site, and are quite close to those of Croatia's and Hungary's sites. Additionally, from the delta O-18(ap) results we calculated the oxygen isotopic composition of consumed water for Agras (from -9.6 parts per thousand to -10.9 parts per thousand) and for Roman Edessa (from -9.6 parts per thousand to -11.2 parts per thousand) for the palaeoclimate and palaeomobility reconstruction.

Automated summary

In this article, isotopic analysis of samples from Northern Greece was conducted to reconstruct the diet and climate of the Early Iron Age. The results showed that the diet in Agras was primarily based on C3 plants, with some contributions from C4 plants and freshwater fish. The isotopic values were in good agreement with those from other sites in Northern Greece, Croatia, and Hungary.