Dietary behaviour of the medieval period in Grenoble: isotopic biogeochemistry of Saint-Laurent cemetery (XIIIth-XVth AD, Isere, France).

Isotopic analysis of C-13 and N-15 of 47 bones from Saint-Laurent de Grenoble cemetery (Grenoble, Isere), from the end of medieval period (XIIIth-XVth centuries AD) allowed to define the food status of animals with regard to the humans and to discuss the variability amongst adults. Adults who died young and those with small stature map have had diets poor in animal protein. The consumption of animal proteins was more important in the XVth than in the XIVth century and could illustrate a typical urban food economy providing its population with a more diversified diet than in rural areas. (C) 2001 Academie des Sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.