Incremental analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in tooth dentine is used to explore child and adolescent diet among individuals in the Late Roman Michelet Necropolis (Lisieux, France; fourth to fifth centuries CE). We analyzed 292 incremental sections from 46 second and third molars to explore dietary patterns between the ages of 4.5 and 23.5 years. Results indicate that individuals consumed more, or higher trophic level, terrestrial-based animal proteins as they aged. Sex-based comparisons also suggest that males and females consumed isotopically similar diets for most of their childhood; however, around age 16.5, males exhibited significantly lower δ¹⁵N values than females with a large effect size (U = 21.0, p = 0.012, g = 1.3). This difference in diet occurs during an important age-based social change in the Roman life course, as individuals transitioned from childhood (pueritia) to adolescence (adulescentia). When the isotopic data are combined with literary and archaeological evidence, it suggests that this was the point when men and women diverged in their life course trajectories. Young men were expected to begin apprenticeships or military duty away from home, whereas women were kept close to their family home at this age. The isotopic results suggest these gendered experiences may have influenced dietary choices or access to foods at Lisieux-Michelet. The results of this study demonstrate the utility of using permanent dentition in adult remains to explore childhood experiences and provide new insights into child and adolescent diet and gendered experiences in the context of the Late Roman Empire.

中文翻译：

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晚期罗马高卢儿童和青少年的饮食：牙齿牙本质中增加的饮食稳定同位素的调查

牙齿牙本质中稳定碳和氮同位素的增量分析用于探索晚期罗马米什莱墓地（法国利雪；公元 4 至 5 世纪）中个体的儿童和青少年饮食。我们分析了 46 颗第二和第三磨牙的 292 个增量部分，以探索 4.5 至 23.5 岁之间的饮食模式。结果表明，随着年龄的增长，个体会消耗更多或更高营养水平的陆生动物蛋白。基于性别的比较还表明，男性和女性在童年的大部分时间里都食用同位素相似的饮食。然而，在 16.5 岁左右，男性的 δ ¹⁵ N 值显着低于女性，具有较大的效应量（U  = 21.0, p  = 0.012, g = 1.3)。这种饮食差异发生在罗马生命历程中一个重要的基于年龄的社会变革期间，因为个体从童年（pueritia）过渡到青春期（adulescentia ））。当同位素数据与文学和考古证据相结合时，这表明这是男性和女性在其生命历程轨迹上出现分歧的点。年轻男性被期望在远离家乡的地方开始学徒或服兵役，而女性在这个年龄段被关在离家很近的地方。同位素结果表明，这些性别经历可能影响了 Lisieux-Michelet 的饮食选择或食物获取。这项研究的结果表明，在成人遗骸中使用恒牙列来探索童年经历并为罗马帝国晚期背景下的儿童和青少年饮食和性别经历提供新的见解。