Researchers from the UK and Italy were able to reconstruct diet 17 of the ancient Romans who died in the city of Herculaneum when eruption of Vesuvius volcano in 79 of our era. The article of scientists is published in the journal Science Advances.
The eruption of Vesuviya buried under the layer of pyroclastic flows is not only Pompeii, but also the neighboring city of Herculaneum. In the 1980s on the beach of the city and in nearby structures found the remains of 340 people who were trying at the time of the disaster to find shelter.
Researchers removed the amino acids from collagen edges of adults – 11 men and six women. By setting the content of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in them and estimating their share in modern products, scientists with the help of a new approach were able to find out in detail than the ancient Romans were fed. The basis of the diet of the inhabitants of the coastal city was seafood and fish, which significantly distinguishes it from modern Mediterranean food, where animal products are dominated. At the same time, the share of grain consumption remained about the same.
Crowes, gender differences were found in the diet: men received most of their seafood proteins (about 50 percent) and cereals, while women are from animal husbandry products, fruits and vegetables. According to scientists, this suggests that access to food depended in Herculaneum from the floor of man.