9.6.7 Post Medieval

To date, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no human or faunal post-medieval skeletal remains from Perth and Kinross have been subject to stable isotope analysis. However, materials almost certainly are in existence, housed in regional or national museums.

The utility of stable isotope analyses in gaining insight into the life and diet of populations through time has been widely demonstrated and utilised in England (eg Henderson et al 2014; Bleasdale et al 2019; Dhaliwal et al 2020). However, there have been very few isotopic studies in Scotland addressing dietary transitions from the medieval to the post-medieval period (but see Lamb et al 2012; Britton et al 2018). No post-medieval skeletal assemblages from Perth and Kinross have yet been isotopically analysed. Nonetheless it would be most valuable to conduct dietary and mobility studies within the area in order to characterise the influence of the various socio-economic transformations which affected the local population after the Reformation. Using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses, it is also possible to investigate breastfeeding and weaning customs as a potential indicator of changing societal norms (Britton et al 2018), which could be applied to the city of Perth were sufficient materials identified. Furthermore, the silting of the River Tay at the end of the 16th century must have had a considerable impact on the local population, both of the city, as well as its rural surroundings (Ditchburn 1988; Bowler et al 2004). Characterising this time period isotopically would help researchers gain insight into the changing lifeways of the local population during a transformative time period.

Rural Perthshire ©️ HES

In addition to analysing suitable human skeletal remains it would be crucial to create a post-medieval faunal baseline. Comparing post-medieval faunal isotope data to medieval patterns would allow the identification of possible changes in animal husbandry practices, which in turn would influence the local population.

The Anglo-Scottish treaty of Union of 1707 was perceived to offer opportunities for economic expansion, and the coming century accompanied by the parallel industrial and agricultural revolutions would have undoubtedly impacted the lifeways of the Scottish population. In studies in England, the developmental and health differences between urban and rural populations have been well demonstrated from a palaeopathological perspective (eg Newman and Gowland 2017; Gowland et al 2018; Newman et al 2019). Lifestyle changes associated with the increasingly industrialised society can also be observed in the dietary trends, as well as changing breastfeeding practices of these populations (Nitsch et al 2006; 2011). Furthermore, utilising incremental analysis of dentinal collagen it has also been possible to characterise changes in early life diet and potentially identify significant events of nutritional stress in this period, such as the Irish Famine (Beaumont et al 2013). However, in Scotland, the isotopic analysis of assemblages from this time period has been so far neglected. The exploration of the isotopic patterns associated with increasing societal, political and economic transformations would be of great value.

Post medieval Queen Street, showing Coupar Angus Abbey ©️ Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust

Research Priorities

Considering the lack of isotopic data available from the period from Perth and Kinross, the main priorities should be:

  1. Identifying suitable assemblages for stable isotope analyses. In addition to the study of post-medieval human remains it is crucial to sample local and contemporary faunal material to appropriately characterise the local food web.
  2. Considering the stable carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopic output of the radiocarbon dating process, samples should be selected accordingly, to maximise the information gained via a destructive sampling method.
  3. Radiocarbon-dated skeletal material from the period should be identified, the stable carbon, nitrogen (and possibly sulphur) isotope data produced during the RC dating process should be collected and analysed (human and fauna alike).

Were sufficient materials to be obtained, the following questions could be approached using stable isotope analyses.

Research Questions

PKARF Qu 9.101: How did the increasing urbanisation of Perth influence the dietary lives of the contemporary urban versus the rural population?

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Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of adults from urban and rural contexts, including incremental dentinal sampling and the analysis of bulk bone collagen.
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01/06/2025
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PKARF Qu 9.102: Can the early influence of the River Tay at the end of the 16th century be observed in the dietary and mobility patterns displayed by the people of the burgh city of Perth?

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Carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, strontium and oxygen isotope analysis of human skeletal remains from late 16th century Perth.
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PKARF Qu 9.103: Is there evidence of changing breastfeeding and weaning patterns from the medieval to the post-medieval period in the city of Perth (as observed in other Scottish burghs)?

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Isotope analysis of infant and sub-adult bone from Perth, Isotope analysis of incremental dentinal collagen from adult individuals from Perth.
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PKARF Qu 9.104: What are the isotopic characteristics of post-medieval animal husbandry practices in Perth and Kinross?

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Multi-isotope analysis of faunal remains from sites in post- medieval Perth and Kinross.
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PKARF Qu 9.105: How did the increasing industrialisation of the Scottish cities affect the dietary lives of the urban and those of the rural population?

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Analysis of rural and urban assemblages, of bulk bone collagen and incremental dentine would allow these aspects to be investigated
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PKARF Qu 9.106: Did new dietary patterns develop in the cities and rural areas of Perth and Kinross associated as a result of the industrial and agricultural revolutions? Can we see evidence of imported or exotic foodstuffs (eg maize, sugarcane), or other ‘global foods’?

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Analysis of bulk bone collagen and incremental dentine, possibly combined with other geochemical approaches, would allow these aspects to be investigated
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01/06/2022
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01/06/2025
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PKARF Qu 9.107: What was the influence on lifetime mobility and diet of the local inhabitants of the expanding economic horizons following the Anglo-Scottish Union?

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Diachronic comparison of bone collagen (carbon, nitrogen) and tooth enamel (strontium, oxygen) data
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PKARF Qu 9.108: Do breastfeeding and weaning patterns indicate societal change from the post-medieval to the early modern period influencing these practices in both urban and rural areas?

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Isotope analysis of infant and sub-adult bone from early modern Perth and environs and comparison with medieval/post-medieval data. Isotope analysis of incremental dentinal collagen from adult individuals from early modern Perth and surrounding rural areas, and comparison with medieval/post-medieval data
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PKARF Qu 9.109: What are the isotopic characteristics of early modern animal husbandry practices in Perth and Kinross? Do we see evidence of agricultural intensification?

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