Stable Isotopes Unveil Dietary Trends in the Samnite and Peligni Communities of Opi Val Fondillo and Sulmona S. Lucia (V–VI Centuries BCE, Abruzzo, Central Italy)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The study uses stable-isotope analysis to investigate the diets of ancient populations in Opi Val Fondillo and Sulmona S. Lucia, Italy, during the Vth and VIth centuries BCE. By examining stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen in rib fragments, researchers can trace dietary habits, even in the last years of life before death. Ribs are representative of approximately the last five years of an individual’s life. This method helps in studying food habits, ecology, and cultural and environmental changes that occurred over time. Additionally, stable-isotope analysis is useful for studying diseases related to the nutritional or physiological conditions that individuals experienced. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to gain insights into the subsistence activities and nutrition of the Samnite and Peligni populations who lived in the Abruzzo region (Italy) during the Iron Age. The samples under investigation are from Opi Val Fondillo (AQ) and Sulmona S. Lucia (AQ), dating between the Vth and VIth centuries BCE. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes were utilized to characterize the diet of the inhabitants in this region. The study involved analyzing carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in 84 available samples and comparing them with isotopic values from animals found in the nearby sites of Loreto Aprutino, Gabii, and La Sassa’s Cave. The results of this study revealed statistically significant differences between sexes in δ(15)N values. Additionally, significant statistical variations were observed when comparing different populations.