Department of Translational Research on New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa , Pisa, Italy.
Breastfeed Med. 2013 Jun;8(3):257-62. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2012.0060. Epub 2012 Dec 21.
Abstract Exploration of the Medici Chapels in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy, revealed the burials of nine infantile members of the Medici family. Eight children were found in the intact tomb of the last Grand Duke GianGastone (1671-1737), and another child was exhumed from the Chapel of Grand Duke Ferdinando I (1549-1609). Skeletal ages ranged from newborn to 5 years, suggesting an identification with infantile members of the family. A paleonutritional study has been performed on the bone samples of all members of the Medici family exhumed so far. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of bone collagen was used to detect the timing of the weaning process in this population. The (15)N values of the Medici children are significantly higher than those of adults, indicating that these infants were breastfed for a long time period. In particular, the levels of (15)N are high before the second year but decrease in older children, evidently after weaning, reaching the levels of adults. During the Renaissance, it was the common opinion that children should not be weaned before the second year of life. Archival documents suggest that the Medici children were never weaned before that age and, in most cases, even some months later. Combination of paleonutritional data and historical sources allowed reconstruction of the breastfeeding and weaning patterns of this aristocratic Renaissance class.
摘要 对意大利佛罗伦萨圣洛伦佐教堂的美第奇礼拜堂进行探索，揭示了美第奇家族的 9 名婴幼儿成员的埋葬情况。在最后一位大公吉安·加斯顿（1671-1737 年）的完整坟墓中发现了 8 名儿童，而另一名儿童则是从大公费迪南多一世（1549-1609 年）的礼拜堂中挖掘出来的。骨骼年龄从新生儿到 5 岁不等，表明这与家族的婴幼儿成员有关。迄今为止，对挖掘出的所有美第奇家族成员的骨骼样本都进行了古营养研究。对骨胶原的碳和氮稳定同位素分析用于检测该人群的断奶过程的时间。美第奇儿童的 (15)N 值明显高于成年人，表明这些婴儿母乳喂养时间较长。特别是，(15)N 值在第二年之前较高，但在年龄较大的儿童中下降，显然在断奶后达到成年人的水平。在文艺复兴时期，人们普遍认为孩子在两岁之前不应该断奶。档案文件表明，美第奇家族的孩子从未在两岁之前断奶，在大多数情况下，甚至更晚。古营养数据和历史资料的结合，使我们能够重建这个贵族文艺复兴时期的母乳喂养和断奶模式。
