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 Grenob le 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 y oung 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 provid ing its population with a more diversified diet than in rural areas. (C) 20 01 Academie des Sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.