Most of the molars available from the collection were second (n=19) and third molars (n=16), and there were a few first molars (n=3). Together, the collection of teeth represents the broad range of childhood experiences. Second and third molars were available from 16 individuals and there were no statistically significant differences with a paired t-test of 18Ocarb values of the second and third molars (F1,15=1.05, p=0.32). This suggests that no drastic changes in lifestyles occurred during childhood within this population. Other isotopic Royal Naval studies have not compared the differences between molars.
The 18Ocarb values of almost all individuals fall within the expected values of the British Isles for all molars (Darling et al. 2003). This is true as well for the 87Sr/86Sr values that fall relatively close to the value for modern seawater and within the broad range of the values expected for the United Kingdom (Evans et al. 2010).
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Figure 7-1. Comparison of the δ13C and δ18O values of enamel carbonate from second and third molars associated with the Southside Naval Hospital Cemetery, St. John’s, NL compared to the 95% CI of enamel carbonate samples from St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Harbour Grace, NL.
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Although there is no statistical difference between the two groups of molars, some of the individuals do exhibit a change in the values, either from the consumption of more boiled food or alcohol, or due to a true movement to a different region or county (Brettell et al. 2012). Overall it represents little difference to the spread of the data, except there is one additional person (A7) falling outside of the range expected for the British Isles. One explanation for this is from the uncertainty associated with the conversion of 18ODW to 18
OP, which is between 1-3‰. This means that the individual could be associated with the British Isles, or they were always from outside the region, yet the uncertainty has skewed our ability to properly interpret this result. Another explanation is that they moved to an area with lower 18ODW values during the time that their third molar was mineralizing.
Even considering this uncertainty, it is useful to graphically suggest the 18O values of the second molars of these individuals to consider possible regional origins. When these data are spread out by one-mil increments as seen on groundwater contour maps of the British Isles (Figure 7-2), a total of four individuals fell within the expected range of 18ODW -4 to -6‰ (Table 7-1, Figure 7-3). Considering all individuals had less radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr than would be expected from a Scottish origin, the prospects of an origin in Scotland were excluded (Figure 7-4) (Evans et al. 2010). The areas consistent with the origins correspond to coastal southern Ireland, as well as the English counties of Cornwall and Devon (Darling et al. 2003). There were 6 individuals who fell between 18
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Figure 7-2. Map of the distribution of 18ODW values of groundwater across the British Isles from Darling et al. (2003)
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Figure 7-3. 18O and 13C carbonate data of first (M1), second (M2), and third (M3) molars of individuals from the Southside Cemetery, St. John’s, NL. The boxes
correspond to the converted 18O drinking water values of the British Isles. The gradient from blue to purple follows the corresponding drinking water values in 1‰ increments from -4‰ to -9‰.
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Figure 7-4. Map of the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across England and Scotland according to Evans et al. (2010) taken from a package developed by the Natural Environment Research Council for Google Earth.
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Table 7-1. Number and percentage of second and third molars falling within the drinking water value ranges of the British Isles
δ18
ODW (‰)
Second Molar Third Molar
n % n % -4.0 to -4.9 0 0.0 0 0.0 -5.0 to -5.9 4 23.5 3 25.0 -6.0 to -6.9 5 29.4 4 33.3 -7.0 to -7.9 6 35.3 4 33.3 -8.0 to -8.9 3 17.6 3 25.0 >9.0 1 5.9 2 16.7
interestingly, West County England including Dorset, Poole and East Devon (Table 7-1) (Darling et al. 2003).
West Country England was the basis for the migratory fishery in Newfoundland, and considering that impressment and volunteering for the Royal Navy typically occurred at the end of fishing season (Mercer 2008), it is not at all surprising to see a large portion of the individuals having 18O and 87Sr/86Sr values that fall within this region. In addition, there were four individuals who fell between 18ODW -7 to -8‰ and this is equally
unsurprising because England had yearly quotas for men from different counties or ports, and most of the large numbered areas come from these regions, such as London,
Yorkshire, and Newcastle (Mercer 2008). The distribution of the Royal Naval sailors is consistent with what would be expected from not only the Royal Navy in general, but specifically to Newfoundland considering the large number of individuals who fall within the West Country areas. Even with the uncertainties associated with Pollard et al. (2011) as well as Brettell et al. (2012), the data suggests that the individuals from the Southside
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Cemetery were coming from broad regions across the British Isles. This collective data supports the concept of a nursery for seamen, taking trained sailors into the Navy from the West Country and Newfoundland (Mercer 2008).
The childhood diets of those from the Southside Cemetery are almost exclusively C3 based on the values of all molars. There is also no statistical difference in a paired t- test between the 13Ccarb values of second and third molars (F1,15=1.97, p=0.181). When the values of the teeth are compared on an individual level, there is some difference seen, yet all changes but two (A1 and A4) are within the range explained through analytical error (Table 6-5). The individual A1 had more C3 and/or marine foods within their diet, as did A4; however, the amount of change still puts them within an almost pure C3 diet (Ambrose and Norr 1993). The outlier within this group (B8) has a strong incorporation of marine or C4 foods in the diet while breastfeeding, though they had no second or third molars to see how this possibly changed later in childhood. This shows that there is very little variability seen within the childhood diets of those at the Southside Cemetery, with all but three individuals (A3, A7, and B8) being consistent with a C3 diet and appropriate range of 18Ocarb values expected from Britain.