Reconstruction of Greek Population Diet from Neolithic Period to Modern Times

Objectives: Isotopic analysis has been proven a valuable tool for reconstructing dietary habits in the ancient world. In this work we examine the evolution of Greek diet from the Neolithic period (6800-3000 BC) to modern times. Materials and Methods: We present isotopic analysis results for delta C-13 and delta N-15 of adult human bone collagen from ancient (Kaiadas in Sparta) and modern populations (Crete), while at the same time we review published results for delta C-13 and delta N-15 of adult human bone collagen from Neolithic to modern times of Greece. Results: The delta C-13 isotopic values evolve to more positive values, while they present a greater variability toward modern times. Furthermore, the delta N-15 values gradually increase over time. Discussion: We discuss the differences i) in human diet through time for the whole Greece and ii) individually for the island of Crete and we conclude that over time human diet becomes richer in high trophic level proteins such as marine sources with a larger variety of food sources.