The continuity of occupation at the settlement of Prague, Czech Republic, from the ninth to fourteenth centuries makes it a good case study for investigating the evolution of animal husbandry practices during the Early and High Middle Ages. Previous archaeozoological work shows that people’s dietary behaviour in Prague underwent a transformation at the beginning of the High Middle Ages (thirteenth century). This change has been attributed to large-scale socioeconomic transformations, which may have affected animal management practices. Stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope analysis of the tooth dentine collagen of livestock (cattle, domestic pigs, sheep and goats) from three different areas in Prague (the Lesser Town, Prague Castle and the Old Town) presented in this study provides support for this hypothesis. The range of stable isotope values increased over time, which may, in addition to a farm-household model, indicate a more advanced system of livestock supply–for example, through urban markets–and may also be explained by more diversified breeding conditions in the town and its surroundings. The results show an increase in the δ¹⁵N values in pig diet over time and suggest that their management changed. This difference may have been caused by increased animal protein intake or higher δ¹⁵N value of the dietary sources. It has also been corroborated that the root dentine collagen of High Medieval cattle has slightly higher average δ¹⁵N values when compared to cattle from the earlier period, which could be related to gradual changes in landscape utilization and soil processing, such as fertilization.

从九世纪到十四世纪，捷克共和国布拉格定居点的职业连续性，使其成为调查早期和高中世纪畜牧业做法演变的一个很好的案例研究。先前的考古学研究表明，布拉格的饮食习惯在中世纪（十三世纪初）开始发生了变化。这种变化归因于大规模的社会经济转型，这可能已经影响了动物管理实践。稳定的碳（δ ¹³ C）和氮（δ ¹⁵N）这项研究中对布拉格三个不同地区（小城镇，布拉格城堡和旧城区）的牲畜（牛，家猪，绵羊和山羊）的牙本质胶原蛋白进行同位素分析，为这一假设提供了支持。随着时间的推移，稳定同位素值的范围会增加，这可能除了农场家庭模型外，还表明牲畜供应系统更加先进（例如，通过城市市场），也可能是因为该地区的饲养条件更加多样化城镇及其周围地区。结果表明，增加的δ ¹⁵在猪日粮随着时间的N值，并建议他们的管理改变。这种差异可能是增加所造成的动物蛋白摄入量或更高δ ¹⁵饮食来源的N值。还已经证实了高中世纪牛根牙质胶原具有δ稍高平均^15倍相比从较早的时期，这可能与在景观利用和土壤处理的逐渐变化，如受精牛当N的值。