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Intercontinental Migrants and Pathogens in the Portuguese Empire: a biomolecular approach to diet, nutrition and mobility in the early globalized world

Project description

The Columbian Exchange diet

Starting in the mid-15th century, the Columbian Exchange resulted in the transfer of diseases and the flow of ideas, food, crops, and human populations across the Atlantic Ocean. The transfer of food will be the focus of the EU-funded EMPIRE project. From the introduction of new crops such as potatoes in Europe to the intensive cultivation of sugar and coffee as well as the introduction of livestock in America, the project will explore the history of the global diet and oral health. Via palaeoproteomics of ancient dental calculus and stable isotope analysis of human and animal bones, EMPIRE will characterise diet on both sides of the Atlantic to ascertain the diet and health of these people.

Objective

Intercontinental Migrants and Pathogens in the Portuguese Empire: a biomolecular approach to diet, nutrition and mobility in the early globalized world

The early modern period (15th-19th C) saw the birth of the so-called early globalization and for the first time different continents were linked by international routes with an unprecedented frequency and scale, creating an interconnected world and global market. The Portuguese Empire was one of the central actors in the transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology and diseases across the Atlantic Ocean, a process known as the Columbian exchange. In particular, the transfer of foods between the two sides of the Atlantic is one of the most significant events in the history of economic development of the last two centuries.The introduction of new crops such as potatoes in Europe, or intensive cultivation of sugar and coffee as well as the introduction of livestock in America, had measurable repercussions on the welfare of European countries, however, their real contribution to the diets of the general populations is unclear. EMPIRE will elucidate the history of global diet and oral health during transatlantic travels using palaeoproteomic analyses of ancient dental calculus and characterise people’s overall diet on the European and South American sides of the Atlantic through isotopic analysis of bulk bone collagen and lipids. This fellowship will provide evidence of diet and health of ordinary people who are often left silent during historical transitions which tend to focus on social elites or large-scale political narratives. The innovative approach in this study may open the door to investigate a wide variety of pressing archaeological questions in countries with a similar colonial past.

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 160 932,48
Address
EDIF A CAMPUS DE LA UAB BELLATERRA CERDANYOLA V
08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles
Spain

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Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 160 932,48
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