The Study
First data on diet of the medieval population of Belarus (based on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysys in bone collagen)
This study looked at old bones to guess what people ate a long time ago. It found that city folks ate more meat and milk, while country folks ate more grains. But it didn't prove why that happened—it just showed a pattern.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at ancient bones to find out what people ate long ago in Belarus.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 522 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this shows how social class and where you lived decided what food you got in medieval times.
- 2City people ate mostly meat and milk; country people ate mostly grains like rye and wheat.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nations and religions of Eurasia
Year
2026
Authors
Ya.V. Kuzmin, S.V. Vasilyev, S.B. Borutskaya, V.U. Marfina, N.N. Pomazanov, V.Y. Vinnikava, V.A. Yemialyanchyk
Related Content
Claims (4)
Analysis of ancient human bones shows higher nitrogen-15 levels than those found in other top predators, which indicates that humans primarily consumed animal tissue.
In medieval Belarus between the 10th and 18th centuries, people in cities ate mostly meat and milk, while people in the countryside ate mostly grains like rye, wheat, oats, and barley, with meat and milk playing a smaller role in their diets.
In medieval Eastern Europe, a person's social class and whether they lived in a city or rural area directly shaped what they ate.
Analysis of ancient bones from medieval people in Belarus shows they ate the same types of food as people in the central Russian Plain, suggesting that diets across this part of Eastern Europe were similar.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.