NARSS Seminar: Breasts, Babies and New Norms: Archaeological Insights into Changing Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices in Britain's Past
Dr Kate Britton is currently in the process of investigating both diet and mobility of the Medieval inhabitants of the Burgh using chemical analysis, and correlating the data with changes in health and other aspects of demography.
The techniques – called stable isotope analysis – will reveal the types of food consumed in adulthood, and also childhood origins. So far, they have seen some very interesting trends through time as the Burgh grew and prospered, but it does not always seem to have been about fish – despite the coastal location.
They have analysed children as well as adults, and seen some really interesting trends in age at weaning which changes substantially through time at the site – something they see right across Britain in the Post-Medieval period.
Earlier this month in Ellon, Dr Kate Britton gave a talk on this, as part of the Cafe Philosphique series. The talk was titled: Breasts, Babies and New Norms: Archaeological Insights into Changing Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices in Britain’s Past.
If you missed this talk then there is another opportunity to come along to Dr Britton's seminar on Wednesday 30 November 2016, as part of the NARSS seminar series in Meston MT3, Aberdeen University at 4pm. Open to all. Free of charge.
Image of St Nicholas Kirk's Skeletons Courtesy of Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums Collections.