The daily life of the first societies of Menorca: diet and physical activity during the Naviform and Proto-Talayotic periods.
Location:
Several prehistoric sites (walled caves and burial navetas) on the island of Menorca.
Project managers:Jared Carballo-Pérez (Leiden University - University of La Laguna)
Antonio Higuero Pliego (University of Cantabria)
Team:
Jared Carballo-Pérez (Leiden University - University of La Laguna).
Antonio Higuero Pliego (University of Cantabria).
Scientific objectives:
- To isotopically characterise the diet of human groups from Menorca during the Naviform and Prototalayotic periods (1600 - 850 BC).
- To biomechanically characterise the daily physical activities of the agro-livestock farming communities of Menorca of these same groups.
- To contextualise the data obtained for the Menorcan area with the rest of the studies published on the Balearic Islands, the Levant of the Iberian Peninsula and the western Mediterranean.
- To analyse, from a physiological perspective, the diet and physical activity of the selected individuals throughout the different stages of the life cycle.
- To explore different aspects of identity (sex/gender, class and social age) of the human groups of prehistoric Menorca and their relationship with diet and physical activity.
- To provide a new study perspective on the peculiarities of the daily life of the different social groups that were buried in different types of burial constructions, and thus better understand whether they belonged to differentiated communities in this island society.
Results obtained:In collaboration with the Museu de Menorca and the Museu de Can Saura in Ciutadella, it has been possible to sample and analyse a selected set of human remains from six Naviform and Prototalayotic sites, which are currently undergoing statistical and isotopic analysis.
Supporting entities:Consell Insular de Menorca