Transition from the Late Roman Period to the Early Anglo-Saxon Period in the Upper Thames

382 Pages·2017·8.04 MB·English

by  Tawashi Otaku

Transition from the Late

Roman Period to the Early

Anglo-Saxon Period in the

Upper Thames Valley

Based on Stable Isotopes

YURIKA SAKAI

ST. CROSS COLLEGE
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
Abstract

Following the argument of cultural change between the Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon
periods in Britain, the purpose of this thesis is to find evidence of change in human diet and
animal husbandry in the Upper Thames Valley across this boundary. Research questions are
set to find differences in human diet, animal diet, and birth seasonality of herbivores at
Horcott, a site showing human activity in both periods. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope
measurements on collagen from humans and livestock animals and enamel carbonate
extracted from herbivores were analysed. Results showed changes in the diets of cattle,
sheep/goats, pigs, and human, and birth seasonality of cattle and sheep/goats. These changes
were argued to have been caused by differences in the intensity of fertilising crop fields, the
amount of animal protein fed to adult pigs, the amount of non-local food in human diet, and
the significance and purpose of livestock rearing and the preference of dairy products. The
outcome of this thesis enhances the understanding of: a) the strategy and the amount of
human effort put into crop cultivation and livestock management; b) the availability and
preference of food for humans depending on the period; and c) the site-dependent differences
in the extent of change in the course of transition between the Romano-British and Anglo-
Saxon periods. This thesis demonstrates the importance of animal data in order to discuss
human diet, and the advantage of modelling enamel carbonate sequential data when analysing
worn and shortened teeth.
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Acknowledgements

Firstly I would like to thank my supervisors, professors Julia Lee-Thorp and Helena
Hamerow for suggesting this topic instead of my original plan, and encouraging me to be an
independent researcher. Special thanks are also due to Dr. Peter Ditchfield and Mr. Andy
Gledhill who kindly answered my numerous questions while running the samples and
collecting data.
I acknowledge the support of Oxford Archaeology especially Dr Paul Booth, Ms Louise Loe,
and Ms Helen Webb for allowing me to collect samples from their collection.
I must also take this opportunity to thank Dr. Jacqueline Towers and Dr. Julie Hamilton
whose advice over finding relevant articles have been so helpful.

Lastly I would like to thank my family and my fiancé for mental and private support which I
could not receive from anyone else.

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
1.1. The Transition from the Roman to the Anglo-Saxon Period in Britain .................. 1
1.2. The Topic: Why the Upper Thames Valley? ........................................................... 9
1.3. The Topic: Why Compare the Romano-British and the Anglo-Saxon Periods? ..... 14
1.4. The Site: Why Horcott? ........................................................................................... 15
1.5. Stable Isotope Approaches ...................................................................................... 16
1.6. Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................ 18
1.7. Outline of Chapters .................................................................................................. 20
2. Animal Husbandry in the Romano-British and the Anglo-Saxon Periods ...................... 21
2.1. Animal Bone Evidence ............................................................................................ 21
2.2. Evidence of Livestock Management ....................................................................... 52
2.3. Evidence of Livestock Feed ..................................................................................... 59
2.4. Summary .................................................................................................................. 65
3. Human Diet in the Romano-British and the Anglo-Saxon Periods .................................. 66
3.1. The Romano-British Period ..................................................................................... 66
3.2. The Anglo-Saxon Period ......................................................................................... 78
3.3. Summary .................................................................................................................. 88
4. Stable Isotope Evidence of Animal husbandry and Human Diet ...................................... 89
4.1. Principles of Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotopes in Bone Collagen and Tooth
Dentine ...................................................................................................................... 89
4.2. Influences on Carbon Stable Isotope Composition in Terrestrial Ecosystems ........ 91
4.3. Factors Which Influence the Nitrogen Stable Isotopes ........................................... 94
4.4. Principles of Carbon and Oxygen Stable Isotopes from Tooth Enamel Carbonate 97
4.5. Published Stable Isotope Data for Bone Collagen and Tooth Dentine .................... 104
4.6. Published Stable Isotope Data of Tooth Enamel Carbonate in Fauna ..................... 124
4.7. Summary .................................................................................................................. 131
5. Material and Methods ....................................................................................................... 133
5.1. Selected Site: Horcott .............................................................................................. 133
5.2. Sampled Materials from Horcott ............................................................................. 154
5.3. Sample Preparation Methods ................................................................................... 158
5.4. Statistical Methods ................................................................................................... 161
5.5. Programming Softwares Used ................................................................................. 161
5.6. Summary .................................................................................................................. 163
6. Results ............................................................................................................................... 164
6.1. Bone Collagen Results ............................................................................................. 164
6.2. Sequential Enamel Carbonate Results ..................................................................... 200
6.3. Summary .................................................................................................................. 218
7. Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 219
7.1. Diet from Collagen Results ..................................................................................... 219
7.2. Animal Husbandry from Enamel Carbonate Results ............................................... 264
8. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 309
8.1. Key Findings ............................................................................................................ 310
9. Appendix .......................................................................................................................... 317
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10. Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 342
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List of Figures

Figure 2.1: Averaged interspecies ratio by NISP of cattle, sheep/goats and pigs in Roman
Britain
Figure 2.2: Interspecies ratio by NISP of cattle sheep/goats and pigs in the Roman Upper
Thames Valley
Figure 2.3: Interspecies ratio by NISP of cattle, sheep/goats, and pigs in early Anglo-Saxon
Britain, from Crabtree (2010)
Figure 2.4: Interspecies ratio by NISP of cattle, sheep/goats, and pigs in the Anglo-Saxon
Upper Thames Valley
Figure 2.5: Mortality profile of cattle from aged mandibles and maxillae at Horcott
Figure 2.6: Mortality profile of sheep/goats from aged mandibles and maxillae at Horcott
Figure 2.7: Mortality profile of pigs from aged mandibles and maxillae at Horcott
Figure 4.1: Location of Upper Thames Valley sites with stable isotope data
Figure 4.2: Box plots of collagen data of human from the Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 4.3: Sequential enamel carbonate data of GG839 (Bronze Age cow at Grimes Graves)
from Towers et al. (2013)
Figure 4.4: Sequential enamel carbonate data of GGT10 (Bronze Age cow at Grimes Graves)
from Towers et al. (2013)
Figure 4.5: Sequential enamel carbonate data of GG614 (Bronze Age cow at Grimes Graves)
from Towers et al. (2013)
Figure 4.6: Sequential enamel carbonate data of GG120 (Bronze Age cow at Grimes Graves)
from Towers et al. (2013)
Figure 5.1: Location of Horcott from Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 5.2: Site plan of Horcott from Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 5.3: Plan of Roman villa style part masonry building at Horcott from Hayden et al.
forthcoming
Figure 5.4: Location of cemeteries at Horcott from Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 5.5: Age distribution of inhumations from the southern cemetery at Horcott from
Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 5.6: Plan of the southern cemetery at Horcott from Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 5.7: Plan of Anglo-Saxon features in the western area at Horcott from Hayden et al.
forthcoming
Figure 5.8: Plan of Anglo-Saxon features in the eastern area at Horcott from Hayden et al.
forthcoming
Figure 5.9: Plan of the northern cemetery at Horcott from Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 5.10: Age distribution of inhumations from the northern cemetery at Horcott from
Hayden et al. forthcoming
Figure 6.1: Comparison of distribution of cattle data at Horcott by period
Figure 6.2: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of cow data between
the two periods
Figure 6.3: Correlation between age and stable isotope values of cow
Figure 6.4: Statistical significance of correlation between age and stable isotope values of
cow
Figure 6.5: Comparison of distribution of sheep/goat data at Horcott by period
Figure 6.6: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of sheep/goat stable
isotope values between the two periods
Figure 6.7: Correlation between age and stable isotope values of sheep/goat
Figure 6.8: Statistical significance of correlation between age and stable isotope values of
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sheep/goat
Figure 6.9: Comparison of distribution of pig data at Horcott by period
Figure 6.10: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of pig stable isotope
values between the two periods
Figure 6.11: Correlation between age and stable isotope values of pig
Figure 6.12: Statistical significance of correlation between age and stable isotope values of
pig
Figure 6.13: Collagen results from Horcott
Figure 6.14: Statistical significance of inter-specific comparison of animals at Horcott
Figure 6.15: Comparison of distribution of human data at Horcott by period
Figure 6.16: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of human stable
isotope values between the two periods
Figure 6.17: Statistical significance of comparison by period and phase
Figure 6.18: Comparison of collagen data by various burial characteristics
Figure 6.19: Collagen results of humans at Horcott by period and phase
Figure 6.20: Correlation between age and stable isotope values of human by period
Figure 6.21: Statistical significance of correlation between age and stable isotope values of
human by period
Figure 6.22: Collagen data of humans at Horcott by age category
Figure 6.23: Correlation between age and stable isotope values of Anglo-Saxon human by
phase
Figure 6.24: Statistical significance of correlation between age and stable isotope values of
Anglo-Saxon human by phase
Figure 6.25: Sequential enamel carbonate data of cattle at Horcott
Figure 6.26: Sequential enamel carbonate data of sheep/goats at Horcott
Figure 6.27: Birth seasonality of cattle at Horcott from the method by Balasse et al. (2012 b)
Figure 6.28: Birth seasonality of cattle and sheep/goats at Horcott from the method by
Towers et al. (2013)
Figure 6.29: Birth seasonality of sheep/goats at Horcott from the method by Balasse et al.
(2012 b)
Figure 7.1: Box-plots of collagen data of cow from Horcott in comparison with other Upper
Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.2: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of stable isotope values
of cow between Horcott and other Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.3: Box-plots of collagen data of sheep/goat from Horcott in comparison with other
Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.4: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of stable isotope values
of sheep/goat between Horcott and other Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.5: Box-plots of collagen data of pig from Horcott in comparison with other Upper
Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.6: Statistical significance of difference in mean and variance of stable isotope values
of pig between Horcott and other Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.7: Collagen results from Horcott in comparison with other Upper Thames Valley
sites
Figure 7.8: Box-plots of collagen data of human from Horcott in comparison with other
Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.9: Statistical significance of difference in human δ13C values among Romano-
British Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.10: Statistical significance of difference in human δ15N values among Romano-
British Upper Thames Valley sites
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Figure 7.11: Statistical significance of difference in human stable isotope values among
Anglo-Saxon Upper Thames Valley sites
Figure 7.12: Collagen results from Horcott in comparison with other Upper Thames Valley
sites
Figure 7.13: Sequential enamel carbonate data of cattle from British sites
Figure 7.14: Sequential enamel carbonate data of cattle from continental sites
Figure 7.15: Sequential enamel carbonate data of sheep/goats from Bercy, Paris, France by
Balasse et al. (2012)
Figure 7.16: Birth seasonality of cattle from British sites and Er Yoh from the method by
Balasse et al. (2012)
Figure 7.17: Birth seasonality of cattle from continental sites from the method by Balasse et
al. (2012)
Figure 7.18: Birth seasonality of sheep/goats from British sites and Er Yoh from the method
by Balasse et al. (2012)
Figure 7.19: Birth seasonality of sheep/goats from non-British sites from the method by
Balasse et al. (2012)
Figure 7.20: Sequential enamel carbonate data of cattle from Bercy, Paris, France by Balasse
et al. (2012)
Figure 7.21: Sequential enamel carbonate data of cattle from Er Yoh, Brittany, France and
Knap of Howar, Orkneys, Britain by Balasse and Tresset (2007)
Figure 7.22: Sequential enamel carbonate data of sheep/goats from Er Yoh, Brittany, France
and Knap of Howar, Orkneys, Britain by Balasse and Tresset (2007)

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List of Tables

Table 4.1: Majority and minority groups by various burial characteristics of Romano-British
humans at Horcott and the statistical significances of the difference between each
two groups by Cheung (2009)
Table 5.1: Sampled bone and dentine from Horcott for collagen analyses
Table 6.1: Values calculated from collagen data of cattle at Horcott
Table 6.2: Values calculated from collagen data of sheep/goats at Horcott
Table 6.3: Values calculated from collagen data of pigs at Horcott
Table 6.4: Values calculated from collagen data of humans at Horcott
Table 6.5: Majority and minority groups by various burial characteristics of Romano-British
humans at Horcott
Table 6.6: Sampled cattle teeth at Horcott for enamel carbonate analysis
Table 6.7: Values calculated from enamel carbonate data of cattle at Horcott
Table 6.8: Sampled sheep/goat teeth at Horcott for enamel carbonate analysis
Table 6.9: Values calculated from enamel carbonate data of sheep/goats at Horcott
Table 7.1: Values calculated from collagen data of cattle from Upper Thames Valley
sites
Table 7.2: Values calculated from collagen data of sheep/goats from Upper Thames
Valley sites
Table 7.3: Values calculated from collagen data of pigs from Upper Thames Valley sites
Table 7.4: Values calculated from collagen data of humans from Upper Thames Valley
sites
Table 7.5: List of enamel carbonate data of cattle from British sites
Table 7.6: Values calculated from enamel carbonate data of cattle from British sites
Table 7.7: List of enamel carbonate data of cattle from continental sites
Table 7.8: Values calculated from enamel carbonate data of cattle from continental sites
Table 7.9: List of enamel carbonate data of sheep from British sites
Table 7.10: Values calculated from enamel carbonate data of sheep from British sites
Table 7.11: List of enamel carbonate data of sheep and goat from non-British sites
Table 7.12: Values calculated from enamel carbonate data of sheep and goats from non-
British sites
Table S1: Normalised results of cattle at Horcott
Table S2: Normalised results of sheep/goats at Horcott
Table S3: Normalised results of pigs at Horcott
Table S4: Normalised results of horses at Horcott
Table S5: Normalised results of dogs at Horcott
Table S6 a: Normalised results of tooth enamel carbonate of cattle at Horcott
Table S6 b: Normalised results of tooth enamel carbonate of sheep/goats at Horcott
Table S7 a: Burial characteristics of humans at Horcott and normalised collagen data from
this study
Table S7 b: Burial characteristics of humans at Horcott and collagen data from Cheng (2009)
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List of Abbreviations

Cato Agri. Cato On Agriculture
Col. Agri. Columella On Agriculture
Gal. Prop. Food. Galen On the Properties of Foodstuffs
Ori. Med. Comp. Oribasius Medical Compilations
Plaut. Capt. Plautus Captivi
Pliny NH Pliny Natural History
Varro Agri. Varro On Agriculture
Verg. Geor. Vergil Georgics

.

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