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Seminar:

Isotopic Insights Into Past Cultivation and Dietary Practices

 

Event Details:

  • Date:          Friday 30 October 2026
  • Time:          Starts: 15:00
  • Venue:       This is a hybrid event.  You are welcome to join us in-person at the Andreas Mouskos Auditorium, The Cyprus Institute.
                       Alternatively, join us on Zoom
  • Speaker:    Amy Styring, Associate Professor of Archaeological Science, University of Oxford

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Abstract

Stable isotopic analysis of charred plant remains recovered from archaeological sites can provide important insights into past agricultural practices, including the intensity of manure application and watering regimes. Crop stable isotope values can also serve as a reference for reconstructing what types of foods people were eating, allowing more accurate estimation of the relative importance of plant and animal protein in past diets.

This talk highlights the benefit of including plant remains in isotopic investigations to permit a holistic insight into both production and consumption practices in the past.

 

About the Speaker

amy styringAmy Styring is Associate Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of Oxford. As an archaeological chemist she advances scientific methods that reveal a direct and detailed picture of everyday life in the past, particularly in relation to food production and consumption practices and their impacts on the environment. She focuses on carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of human and animal bones and charred plant remains recovered from archaeological sites and uses the carbon and nitrogen isotope values of individual amino acids in their proteins to improve predictions of human and animal diet.

She has also applied strontium isotope analysis to plant remains to elucidate the movement of crops in the past and strontium and oxygen isotope analysis to animal teeth to study the movement of livestock. She uses these methods to tackle major questions about life in the past, in archaeological contexts from different time periods and geographical regions.

 

 

 

Free Entrance

Registration is now open

 

RSVP by Monday, 26 October 2026
to Andri Kyriacou     |     This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.     |    22 208 558

 

 

OneArchSci is funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101186503.


 

  

The event will be in English and the event is open to the public.
This is a hybrid event.  You may attend in-person at the Andreas Mouskos Auditorium, The Cyprus Institute, or join us on Zoom
Images and/or recordings of our open public events may be used by The Cyprus Institute for dissemination purposes including print and digital media such as websites, press-releases, social media, and live streaming.

 




View all CyI events.

 

Additional Info

  • Date: Friday 30 October 2026
  • Time: Starts: 15:00
  • Speaker: Amy Styring, Associate Professor of Archaeological Science, University of Oxford