Investigation of diachronic dietary patterns on the islands of Ibiza and formentera, Spain: Evidence from carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio analysis

A shift to C4 dietary resources, likely millet, characterized the Islamic period (10th–13th century AD) on Ibiza and Formentera, contrasting with earlier periods that maintained a predominantly terrestrial C3 diet. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of bone collagen from 75 fauna and 135 human samples across four chronological phases—Chalcolithic, Punic, Late Antiquity–Early Byzantine, and Islamic—revealed this dietary change. While earlier societies showed minimal marine or C4 input, the Islamic population exhibited a significant reliance on C4 resources, suggesting a unique subsistence adaptation. This finding highlights the importance of further research into Islamic-era diets in the Mediterranean to understand broader patterns.

Fuller, B. T., Márquez‐Grant, N., & Richards, M. P. (2010). Investigation of diachronic dietary patterns on the islands of Ibiza and formentera, Spain: Evidence from carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio analysis. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 143(4), 512–522. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21334