Ancient dental calculus reveals diverse diets of commoners in premodern Osaka, Japan, the 'Kitchen of the Realm'
What did ordinary people really eat in premodern Japan, beyond the dishes described in cookbooks and the bones discarded at urban waste pits? Reconstructing past diets at the level of individual food items is remarkably difficult. Traditional archaeological approaches and stable isotope analysis of human skeletons reveal broad dietary categories—such as reliance on marine fish and C3 plants. But…
A team of researchers from SOKENDAI, Aomori Public University, Kyushu University, and other institutions analyzed ancient dental calculus from eight adult commoners buried in the Umeda cemetery near modern-day JR Osaka Station. By using paleoproteomic methods on the calculus, they were able to reconstruct the dietary habits of these premodern Osaka residents, revealing a more diverse diet than previously thought.
The analysis identified 38 dietary proteins from 17 different taxa, including nine fish species, various mammals, and multiple plants. Notably, researchers found proteins from Red sea bream (Pagrus major) muscle, indicating that commoners consumed a fish historically considered a luxury item. Additionally, proteins from flatfish, such as tonguefish, and salmonids were detected, providing evidence that marine products from distant regions, likely transported via coastal shipping routes, were part of the commoner's diet.
The presence of proteins from nonhuman terrestrial mammals also supports historical accounts of people consuming "medicinal meat" despite formal taboos. Furthermore, the researchers identified proteins from cotton seeds, suggesting that cottonseed oil, derived from widely cultivated cotton around Osaka during the Edo period, may have been a part of commoners' diets.
While the study analyzed only eight individuals, it represents a significant step in understanding the dietary diversity of urban commoners in premodern Osaka. The findings highlight how Osaka's role as a major hub for food production, redistribution, and trade translated into a rich array of dietary options for ordinary city dwellers.
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