Strontium Isotope Analysis Research Papers (original) (raw)

SUMMARY: Chapter 7, in Renfrew & Bahn's textbook (Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice), covers how to assess past subsistence and diet, including plant food (e.g., macro- and microbotanical remains; plant residues; seasonality;... more

SUMMARY: Chapter 7, in Renfrew & Bahn's textbook (Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice), covers how to assess past subsistence and diet, including plant food (e.g., macro- and microbotanical remains; plant residues; seasonality; domestication), animal resources (e.g., macro-faunal remains; age, sex, and seasonality; domestication; small fauna; types of exploitation), and assessing diet from human remains (e.g., stomach contents; feces; teeth; isotopic methods; bone collagen). A small case study is placed at the end of this ppt. lecture, emphasizing some aspects of subsistence. In my view, this is one of the best college textbooks available, and is invaluable for students, archaeologists, and the public in general, to obtain a top notch overview of approaching and interpreting the archaeological record. UPDATED May 2023.

Mound 72 at Cahokia figures prominently into interpretations of early Mississippian sociopolitical development. A previous study utilizing dental morphology concluded that the groups of mostly young adult females interred in four mass... more

Mound 72 at Cahokia figures prominently into interpretations of early Mississippian sociopolitical development. A previous study utilizing dental morphology concluded that the groups of mostly young adult females interred in four mass graves in Mound 72 were likely not from Cahokia and possibly reflect sacrificial offerings from outside communities. The purpose of this study is to reevaluate these findings using multiple indicators of biological relatedness and place of origin/migration. Biological relatedness in Mound 72 was examined using dental metrics and morphology. Four additional archaeological samples from nearby sites were included to better assess biological variation within Mound 72. Strontium isotope analysis ((87) Sr/(86) Sr) was also conducted on individuals from several burial features in Mound 72 to determine heterogeneity in place of origin. Biodistance studies indicate that individuals in the four mass graves are phenotypically similar to other groups in the region...

87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios of cedar wood from forests in the East Mediterranean have been compiled in order to investigate the feasibility of provenancing archaeological cedar wood finds. Cedrus sp. forests furnished a great amount of wood... more

87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios of cedar wood from forests in the East Mediterranean have been compiled in order to investigate the feasibility of provenancing archaeological cedar wood finds. Cedrus sp. forests furnished a great amount of wood in antiquity, for purposes ranging from ship to temple construction, and for fashioning cult statues and sarcophagi. The 87Sr/86Sr signatures of archaeological cedar samples may be compared with the preliminary dataset presented here to help determine the geographic origin of wooden artifacts. Sample sites include two forest areas in the Troodos Massif of Cyprus, five in the Lebanon, and two in Turkey’s Taurus Mountains. Sr ratios for wood varieties (i.e., early heartwood, late heartwood, sapwood, and twig wood) demonstrate relative uniformity between the xylem types frequently recovered from archaeological contexts. As such, this pilot study also assesses important issues of archaeological sampling and the geographical factors that influence Sr uptake in cedar trees of this region. While the regional signatures are distinct in most cases, small sample sizes and range overlap indicate the need for additional methods to make a case for a certain source forest. Alone, this method continues to be best used to disprove assumed wood provenances.

Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis has been performed on a selection of human teeth dating from late Iron Age and early Medieval Ireland to test the hypothesis that the appearance of new burial rites was associated with phases of... more

Strontium and oxygen isotope analysis has been performed on a selection of human teeth dating from late Iron Age and early Medieval Ireland to test the hypothesis that the appearance of new burial rites was associated with phases of migration from, and contact with, the Roman and Late Antique world. In particular, the appearance of crouched inhumations from the beginning of the 1st century CE, and the appearance of extended supine inhuma-tions alongside the reappearance of crouched burials after the c. 4th century CE are investigated. Isotopic data favours the presence of non-local individuals during both periods. As parallels for virtually all of these new burial practices can be found elsewhere, for example throughout Iron Age and Roman Britain, the data are seen to support previously proposed theories that such burial practices were intrusive and reflected new rites associated with migrant peoples. This adds to the increasing body of evidence demonstrating that rather than being isolated, Ireland was very much part of a connected Europe throughout the entire period of Roman administration in the western provinces, and in the centuries after its demise.

Through the concept of entanglement, archaeological indications of cultural identity and skeletal evidence of biological and geographic interaction are used to explore the development of the Nubian polity who ruled as the 25th Dynasty of... more

Through the concept of entanglement, archaeological indications of cultural identity and skeletal evidence of biological and geographic interaction are used to explore the development of the Nubian polity who ruled as the 25th Dynasty of Egypt (Napatan period, ca. 750–656 B.C.E.). In this article, we examine the ways in which cultural and biological linkages affect the political, social, and cultural trajectories of the political entities in the ancient Nile Valley. Early studies of political developments in this region have often focused on Egypt, ignoring the aspects of power formation that may have developed independently and the long tradition of established local institutions in Nubia. The present research uses evidence from the site of Tombos, located in Upper Nubia, to investigate the processes of identity formation and population composition during the Egyptian colonial occupation and the subsequent rise of the Nubian Napatan polity. We address the impact of Egyptian and Nubian immigrants on the political developments, finding strongest support for the influence of Nubian-Egyptian communities established in colonial times on the character of the Napatan polity.

In this study, we present osteological and strontium isotope data of 29 individuals (26 cremations and 3 inhumations) from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of the largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries in Hungary. The site is located in the... more

In this study, we present osteological and strontium isotope data of 29 individuals (26 cremations and 3 inhumations) from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of the largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries in Hungary. The site is located in the northern part of the Csepel Island (a few kilometres south of Budapest) and was in use between c. 2150 and 1500 BC, a period that saw the rise, the apogee, and, ultimately, the collapse of the Vatya culture in the plains of Central Hungary. The main aim of our study was to identify variation in mobility patterns among individuals of different sex/age/social status and among individuals treated with different burial rites using strontium isotope analysis. Changes in funerary rituals in Hungary have traditionally been associated with the crises of the tell cultures and the introgression of newcomers from the area of the Tumulus Culture in Central Europe around 1500 BC. Our results show only slight discrepancies between inhumations and cremations, as well as differences between adult males and females. The case of the richly furnished grave n. 241 is of particular interest. The urn contains the cremated bones of an adult woman and two 7 to 8-month-old foetuses, as well as remarkably prestigious goods. Using 87Sr/86Sr analysis of different dental and skeletal remains, which form in different life stages, we were able to reconstruct the potential movements of this high-status woman over almost her entire lifetime, from birth to her final days. Our study confirms the informative potential of strontium isotopes analyses performed on different cremated tissues. From a more general, historical perspective, our results reinforce the idea that exogamic practices were common in Bronze Age Central Europe and that kinship ties among high-rank individuals were probably functional in establishing or strengthening interconnections, alliances, and economic partnerships

Isotopic proveniencing of all individuals from the ship and boat burials at Salme, Estonia, is the subject of this study of the interred human remains from around AD 750, at the beginning of the Viking period. The isotopic results... more

Isotopic proveniencing of all individuals from the ship and boat burials at Salme, Estonia, is the subject of this study of the interred human remains from around AD 750, at the beginning of the Viking period. The isotopic results indicate that the majority of these individuals came from a region with higher strontium isotopic ratios than those found in Estonia. There were five individuals, buried in Salme II-the ship burial with 34 individuals who exhibited lower strontium isotope ratios that might have come from the Swedish island of Gotland or several other possible places. The combination of isotopic signals and archaeological information suggests that the majority of buried individuals (those with higher strontium isotope ratios) came from the Mälaren Valley in east-central Sweden.

What does a dog burial from Kipp Ruin (LA 153645), a multi-component site (100 BC AD 1450) on the lower Mimbres River, reveal about prehistoric peoples of the American Southwest? Since dog (Canis familiaris) domestication from the gray... more

What does a dog burial from Kipp Ruin (LA 153645), a multi-component site (100 BC AD 1450) on the lower Mimbres River, reveal about prehistoric peoples of the American Southwest? Since dog (Canis familiaris) domestication from the gray wolf (Canis lupus) at least 16,000 years ago (Perri 2017; Perri et al. 2019), the parallel life histories developed between humans and dogs creates a unique opportunity to learn about prehistoric peoples by studying their dogs. In the American Southwest, burial context and skeletal evidence often indicate inclusion in ceremonial practices, such as interment in kivas, burial within human graves, or decapitation (e.g., Akins 1985; Lev-Tov 2014; Martin 1940; Roberts 1929). Dogs also served myriad everyday roles in human society, including as hunting companions and guardians of the home and crops (e.g., Brody 2004; Fugate 2010; Pferd 1987; Schwartz 1997). The Canine Surrogacy Approach postulates that dogs had similar diets to humans and accompanied them during moves, allowing us a glimpse into human dietary practices and population movement through analyses of carbon, nitrogen, and strontium isotopes from dogs (Guiry 2012, 2013). Archaeological and ethnographic studies contextualize the zooarchaeological and isotopic analyses of a Georgetown phase (AD 550-650) dog burial from Kipp Ruin. This multi-faceted investigation reveals the potential to learn substantial information about prehistoric human populations by studying their dogs.

Objectives: The Early Bronze Age (EBA; ca. 3,600-2000 BCE) of the southern Levant underwent considerable transformation as agro-pastoral communities began to utilize their land more intensively, constructing larger, fortified towns prior... more

Objectives: The Early Bronze Age (EBA; ca. 3,600-2000 BCE) of the southern Levant underwent considerable transformation as agro-pastoral communities began to utilize their land more intensively, constructing larger, fortified towns prior to site abandon-ment at the end of the third millennium. At the site of Bab adh-Dhra' in Jordan, the dead of the Early Bronze (EB) II-III (ca. 3,100-2,500 BCE) period were communally interred within charnel houses, but important disparities between these structures and their contents may be reflective of ownership and use by particular extended kin groups whose activity patterns, subsistence strategies, and even social status may have differed from one another. Subsequently, we hypothesized that differences in mobility and dietary intake may differentiate tomb groups from one another. Materials and Methods: Dental enamel from 31 individuals interred in three different Early Bronze Age charnel houses (A56, A22, A55) at Bab adh-Dhra', Jordan were analyzed for strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope values. Results: Strontium isotope ratios (range: 0.70793-0.70842) possessed medians that did not differ statistically from one another, but had ranges that exhibited significant differences in variance. Carbon isotope values (x= −13.2 ± 0.5‰, 1σ) were not significantly different. Discussion: General similarities in human isotopic signatures between EB II-III char-nel houses A22 and A55 suggest that their activities were likely similar to one another and agree with findings from excavated domestic spaces with little archaeological evidence for economic, social, or political differentiation. More variable strontium isotope ratios and lower carbon isotope values from A22 could reflect a greater involvement with pastoralist practices or regional trade, including the consumption of more 13 C-depleted foods, while those in A55 may have led a more sedentary lifestyle with greater involvement in cultivating orchard crops. All charnel houses contained nonlocal individuals likely originating from other Dead Sea Plain sites with no EB II-III cemeteries of their own, supporting the idea that extended kin groups throughout the region returned to Bab adh-Dhra' to bury their dead. K E Y W O R D S Bronze Age, carbon isotopes, Near East, oxygen isotopes, residential mobility, social identity, strontium isotopes, subsistence

A recent study by Thomsen and Andreasen (2019) has induced a negative reaction to the utility of strontium isotope proveniencing in Denmark. Although there are higher strontium isotope values in the landscape, Thomsen and Andreasen are... more

A recent study by Thomsen and Andreasen (2019) has induced a negative reaction to the utility of strontium isotope proveniencing in Denmark. Although there are higher strontium isotope values in the landscape, Thomsen and Andreasen are not correct about the impact of their finding on studies of prehistoric mobility. Several case studies identify such “hotspots” in the landscape and help evaluate their consequences for identifying non-local individuals. In sum, (1) there are small areas of higher strontium isotope values in Denmark, (2) surface water is not a reliable proxy for baseline information on local strontium isotope sources, and (3) strontium isotope proveniencing remains a very useful method for identifying non-local individuals.

A chance discovery at a distinguished London map fair in 2012 by a Belgian globe collector produced the most unique of finds: a distinct globe with mysterious images, such as ships, sailors, a volcano, a unique hybrid monster, pentimenti,... more

In Prague-Miškovice, a cemetery of the Únětice culture (UC) with a total of 44 graves was excavated between 1999 und 2001. The C14 dates range across the entire course of Central Europe’s Early Bronze Age – from the proto-Únětice phase to... more

In Prague-Miškovice, a cemetery of the Únětice culture (UC) with a total of 44 graves was excavated between 1999 und 2001. The C14 dates range across the entire course of Central
Europe’s Early Bronze Age – from the proto-Únětice phase to the “post-classical” phase of the UC. The high point of the mortuary activities occurred between 2000 and 1750 BC
(classical UC). Archaeometallurgical and archaeological studies of the finds (chisel, axe, dagger blades, pins, rich amber ornaments, sea shells, etc.) reflect cultural relationships ranging from the Baltic to the Alpine region. It is to be assumed that the people of Central Bohemia during the classical UC, due to their excellent geographic location in regard to traffic routes, profited from trade in metals and amber.
The monograph brings the complex multidisciplinary analysis of the whole archaeological and anthropological material from the cemetery including the bayesian modelling of the 14C-dates, strontium and oxygen isotopy, lead isotopy, phosphate soil analysis and many others.

Objectives: The ancient city of Chichén Itzá in the northern Yucatán of Mexico was one of the most important in the Maya area, but its origins and history are poorly understood. A major question concerns the origins of the peoples who... more

Objectives: The ancient city of Chichén Itzá in the northern Yucatán of Mexico was one of the most important in the Maya area, but its origins and history are poorly understood. A major question concerns the origins of the peoples who founded and later expanded the ancient city. Hundreds of people were ritually executed and their bodies thrown into the waters of the Sacred Cenote at Chichén. Materials and methods: In this study, we use strontium and oxygen isotopes to study the place of origin of a large sample of these individuals. Isotopes are deposited in human tooth enamel. Enamel forms during the first years of life, remains largely unchanged long past death, and can provide a signature of the place of birth. If the isotope ratios in enamel are different from the place of death, the individual must have moved during his/her lifetime. Results: Comparison of our results from the cenote with information on isotope ratios across the Maya region and elsewhere suggests that the individuals in the cenote came from a number of different parts of Mexico and possibly beyond. Discussion: It is not known if all of the sacrificial victims resided in Chichén Itzá, but their suggested origins likely reflect patterns of population movement and social networks that existed between Chichén Itzá and both neighboring and distant regions.

Nebringen, Münsingen and Monte Bibele – on the archaeological and bio-archaeometrical evidence of mobility in the 4th/3rd century BC The cemeteries Nebringen (Lkr. Böblingen/D), Münsingen-Rain (Kt. Bern/CH) and Monte Bibele (prov.... more

Nebringen, Münsingen and Monte Bibele – on the archaeological and bio-archaeometrical evidence of mobility in the 4th/3rd century BC The cemeteries Nebringen (Lkr. Böblingen/D), Münsingen-Rain (Kt. Bern/CH) and Monte Bibele (prov. Bolgna/I) are im- portant sites in the core country and periphery of the La Tène culture which expanded across the Alps up to Northern Italy in the 4th/3rd century BC. Some graves provide evidence for the mobility of the buried. This phenomenon is partly mirrored by the results of a strontium isotope analysis. It was shown that single individuals or small groups had changed their locality – however, the movement of large population groups as reported by the ancient authors under the title »Celtic migration« is not confirmed.

Gregoricka, L.A., Ullinger, J. M., and Schrenk, A. (2021). Set apart from within: Articulated women in commingled tombs from Early Bronze Age Arabia. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 32(S1), 243-255.. The vast majority of... more

The objective of this study was to develop, test and evaluate a specifically defined interdisciplinary approach—the human-centred approach—as applied to a case study, Iron Age Öland. Four themes were selected to highlight different... more

The objective of this study was to develop, test and evaluate a specifically defined interdisciplinary approach—the human-centred approach—as applied to a case study, Iron Age Öland. Four themes were selected to highlight different aspects of particular interest in Öland: taphonomy, diet, migration, and social organization. The uncremated human skeletal remains from Öland are the basis for this study. Different aspects of the bones, such as spatial distribution and chemical and physical properties, were investigated. The methods used include osteological methods, image-based modelling, isotopic analysis of bone (δ13C and δ15N; 14C) and enamel (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O), statistical modelling, and graph-based network analysis.
The great impact of the choice of methodology in the different papers was apparent in evaluating how the human-centred approach could be practiced.
The concept developed in Paper I, Virtual Taphonomy, provided deeper insight into the specific case study of Öland but also showed the potential of this methodology for archaeology and osteology in general.
The approach to migration in Paper II gave results differing from those in Paper IV. The use of a second isotope (δ18O) in Paper IV showed how some individuals were clearly not from an area close by enough to fit within the proposed areas in Paper II. Paper IV also questioned the definitions of 87Sr/86Sr baseline and the interpretation process for deciding whether an individual is determined as a migrant. While the population level approach to migration in Paper II allowed for a discussion on the mechanisms behind migration, the approach in Paper IV instead gave insight into the nature and expression of migration within Öland’s society.
In Paper III, it was demonstrated that a shift in diet (isotope variation) did not coincide with the relative typological chronology but instead should be studied by more independent chronology (such as 14C). The isotope results for Öland could also be interpreted completely differently today due to new standards for understanding how isotope values relate to human diet.
Paper V showed how a transparent analysis of isotope results, osteological analysis, and archaeological parameters could be used to discuss societal development using graph-based network analysis.
Using the human-centred approach to Iron Age Öland resulted in some new insights and a rethinking of society, particularly regarding diet and migration. The interpretation of the diet isotopes means that the pastoralist subsistence likely transformed the Ölandic landscape much earlier than previously thought. The dietary shift places the start of this in the final two centuries BC, not AD 200. In the Late Iron Age, the migration levels doubled, especially as women were immigrating. The people settling Öland were coming from diverse geographical areas in both periods, with the addition of more distant migrants in the Late period. I argue this is part of a creolization process in Öland in the Late Iron Age, detectable in burial practice and diet. The starting point of this great immigration is difficult to define as uncremated human remains are largely lacking in the period AD 200–700. Around AD 200, there is also a change in social organization indicated through the perceptible use of violence. I interpret this as a society where elders had diminished social power compared to earlier times, and when the increasing military focus throughout Scandinavia was also established in Öland.
In conclusion, the exploration of a human-centred archaeology gave new insights of relevance to archaeology at large, not just Iron Age Öland. In particular, the strong interpretational aspects of isotopes could be demonstrated, as well as the great advantages of applying digital archaeological theory and method to human skeletal remains.

The inclusion of radiogenic strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis in archaeological and bioarchaeological research has resulted in the creation of new data by which to evaluate models of migration, culture change, colonization, trade,... more

The inclusion of radiogenic strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analysis in archaeological and bioarchaeological research has resulted in the creation of new data by which to evaluate models of migration, culture change, colonization, trade, and exchange. Overwhelmingly, archaeologists have used radiogenic strontium isotope signatures in human enamel and bone apatite to reconstruct ancient mobility patterns and to distinguish between individuals of local and non-local origins at archaeological sites. The method also has been employed to establish the provenience of artifacts, ancient building materials, and foodstuffs as well as to track the origins and migratory patterns of prehistoric animals. The present chapter provides an introduction to the fundamental principles, approaches, applications, and future directions of radiogenic strontium isotope analysis in archaeology.

Archaeological textiles recovered on two occasions from the Huldremose bog, Denmark, represent some of the best preserved and complete garments from the Danish Iron Age (500 BC–AD 800). In order to address the question regarding the... more

Archaeological textiles recovered on two occasions from the Huldremose bog, Denmark, represent some of the best preserved and complete garments from the Danish Iron Age (500 BC–AD 800). In order to address the question regarding the provenance of the textile's raw material, we applied a recently developed method based on strontium isotopes to wool and plant fibres from these ancient garments. Textile plant fibres from Huldremose I find are of non-local provenance, whereas the wool from which the garment was made stemmed from sheep grazing on glaciomoraine soils developed on Cretaceous–Tertiary carbonate platform sediments widely found in Denmark. The Huldremose II find consists of an unusually large and well preserved garment, which is composed of wool from at least three different provenances. One source is again local, whereas the other two sources, characterized by elevated 87Sr/86Sr ratios, are compatible with geologically older (Precambrian) terrains which are typical for Northern Scandinavia, e.g. Norway or Sweden. Our study suggests that wool and plant fibres were either traded or brought as raw materials for textiles more commonly and over longer distances than previously assumed.

In this study a typical coastal karst aquifer, developed in lower Cretaceous limestones, on the western Mediterranean seashore (La Clape massif, southern France) was investigated. A combination of geochemical and isotopic approaches was... more

In this study a typical coastal karst aquifer, developed in lower Cretaceous limestones, on the western Mediterranean seashore (La Clape massif, southern France) was investigated. A combination of geochemical and isotopic approaches was used to investigate the origin of salinity in the aquifer. Water samples were collected between 2009 and 2011. Three groundwater groups (A, B and C) were identified based on the hydrogeological setting and on the Cl- concentrations. Average and maximum Cl- concentrations in therecharge waters were calculated (Cl Ref. and Cl Ref.Max ) to be 0.51 and 2.85 mmol/L, respectively). Group A includes spring waters with Cl- concentrations that are within the same order of magnitude as the Cl Ref
concentration. Group B includes groundwater with Cl- concentrations that range between the Cl Ref and Cl Ref.Max concentrations. Group C includes brackish groundwater with Cl- concentrations that are significantly greater than the Cl Ref.Max concentration. Overall, the chemistry of the La Clape groundwater evolves from dominantly Ca–HCO3 to NaCl type. On binary diagrams of the major ions vs. Cl, most of the La Clape
waters plot along mixing lines. The mixing end-members include spring waters and a saline component (current seawater or fossil saline water). Based on the Br/Cl molar ratio, the hypothesis of halite dissolution from Triassic evaporites is rejected to explain the origin of salinity in the brackish groundwater. Groundwaters display 87Sr/86Sr ratios intermediate between those of the limestone aquifer matrix and
current Mediterranean seawater. On a Sr mixing diagram, most of the La Clape waters plot on a mixing line. The end-members include the La Clape spring waters and saline waters, which are similar to the deep geothermal waters that were identified at the nearby Balaruc site. The 36Cl/Cl ratios of a few groundwater samples from group C are in agreement with the mixing hypothesis of local recharge water with deep saline water at secular equilibrium within a carbonate matrix. Finally, PHREEQC modelling was run based on calcite dissolution in an open system prior to mixing with the Balaruc type saline waters. Modelled data are consistent with the observed data that were obtained from the group C groundwater. Based on several trac-
ers (i.e. concentrations and isotopic compositions of Cl and Sr), calculated ratios of deep saline water in the mixture are coherent and range from 3% to 16% and 0% to 3% for groundwater of groups C and B, respectively. With regard to the La Clape karst aquifer, the extension of a lithospheric fault in the study area may favour the rise of deep saline water. Such rises occur at the nearby geothermal Balaruc site along another
lithospheric fault. At the regional scale, several coastal karst aquifers are located along the Gulf of Lion and occur in Mezosoic limestones of similar ages. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of these aquifers tend toward values of 0.708557, which suggests a general mixing process of shallow karst waters with deep saline fossil waters. The occurrence of these fossil saline waters may be related to the introduction of seawater during and after
the Flandrian transgression, when the highly karstified massifs invaded by seawater, formed islands and peninsulas along the Mediterranean coast.

Little synthesis of evidence for Middle Neolithic food and farming in Wiltshire, particularly in and around the Stonehenge World Heritage Site (WHS) has been possible, until now, due to a paucity of assemblages. The excavation of a... more

Little synthesis of evidence for Middle Neolithic food and farming in Wiltshire, particularly in and around the Stonehenge World Heritage Site (WHS) has been possible, until now, due to a paucity of assemblages. The excavation of a cluster of five Middle Neolithic pits and an inhumation burial at West Amesbury Farm (WAF) has prompted a review of our understanding of pit sites of this period from the county. Bioarchaeological assemblages are used to investigate evidence for the consumption of animal and plant-based foods, and for agricultural and pastoral farming. For the first time Middle Neolithic zooarchaeological evidence, including strontium isotope data, is considered alongside archaeobotanical data, and radiocarbon dating. The absence of cultivated plants from WAF and contemporary sites in the county is consistent with the hypothesis that the reduction in cereal cultivation and greater reliance of wild plants witnessed in the later part of the Neolithic in southern England began in the Middle Neolithic. The zooarchaeological evidence from the same sites demonstrates that the shift away from cereal cultivation may be concurrent with, rather than earlier than, an increase in the relative proportion of deposited pig bones relative to cattle. Both cattle and pigs deposited in pits at WAF have strontium and sulphur isotope values consistent with the local biosphere, and therefore were potentially raised in the area. Zooarchaeological data from WAF compliments that from human dental calculus and lipid residues in associated Peterborough Ware pottery that local cattle husbandry included exploitation of dairy. It also highlights the presence of consistent food preparation methods between pits as seen through butchery practice. The faunal and archaeobotanical remains from contemporary pit deposits suggest that similar farming and subsistence strategies can be proposed across the county, though with some inter-site variation in deposition. Together these excavated pit sites are likely to represent only a sample of those present in the area. Application of a similar integrated approach to material from other Middle Neolithic pits holds potential for better understanding of food and farming in this previously neglected period.

This paper reports on a burial discovered in 2000 by the BVAR project in Plaza G of the Cahal Pech site core. Our stratigraphic data indicated that the grave had penetrated the last two plaza floors in the courtyard. The fact that neither... more

This paper reports on a burial discovered in 2000 by the BVAR project in Plaza G of the Cahal Pech site core. Our stratigraphic data indicated that the grave had penetrated the last two plaza floors in the courtyard. The fact that neither of these floors were subsequently resurfaced strongly suggested that the burial was intrusive. The grave contained the remains of a young individual in fetal position and with no grave goods. Ever since its discovery in 2000, we had generally assumed that this interment, like several other intrusive burials at Cahal Pech, dated to the Terminal Classic period (~AD 750-900). Recent radiocarbon dating of purified bone collagen, combined with geochemical analysis of the skeletal remains, however, negate our previous assumptions and suggest that the individual in Plaza G Burial 1 is neither local nor ancient. In this paper, we present results of our attempts to unravel the mystery of the burial we have come to call Cahal Pech's Jane or John Doe.

One of the most important archaeological sites in Fiji is located in the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, on the southwest coast of Viti Levu. Numerous excavation projects at Sigatoka since the 1960s have revealed multiple episodes of... more

One of the most important archaeological sites in Fiji is located in the Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, on the southwest coast of Viti Levu. Numerous excavation projects at Sigatoka since the 1960s have revealed multiple episodes of human occupation, including burials, and a well-defined cemetery complex. This paper uses strontium isotope analysis of human remains from Sigatoka to investigate the residential mobility for 53 individuals from the site. In order to establish the local baseline of bioavailable strontium around Sigatoka, we have collected and measured the strontium isotopic compositions of 59 modern environmental samples from 15 localities across the island. Results suggest that the bioavailable strontium of Viti Levu is derived from a combination of oceanic-(i.e. sea spray) and geological-strontium, and the relative contribution of each source varies from location to location. This variation allows us to identify individuals from Sigatoka as being from local or non-local contexts, providing additional insight into the Fijian past.

The colonisation of the North Atlantic from the eighth century AD was the earliest expansion of European populations to the west. Norse and Celtic voyagers are recorded as reaching and settling in Iceland, Greenland and easternmost North... more

The colonisation of the North Atlantic from the eighth century AD was the earliest expansion of European populations to the west. Norse and Celtic voyagers are recorded as reaching and settling
in Iceland, Greenland and easternmost North America between c. AD 750 and 1000, but the date of these events and the homeland of the colonists are subjects of some debate. In this project, the birthplaces of 90 early burials from Iceland were sought using strontium isotope analysis. At least nine, and probably thirteen, of these individuals can be distinguished as migrants to Iceland from other places. In addition, there are clear differences to be seen in the diets of the local Icelandic peoples, ranging from largely terrestrial to largely marine consumption.

Khirigsuurs are communal ritual and mortuary monuments that featured prominently on Late Bronze Age pastoralist landscapes of the Mongolian steppe through the mid-late second millennium to early first millennium cal BC. Khirigsuurs... more

Khirigsuurs are communal ritual and mortuary monuments that featured prominently on Late Bronze Age pastoralist landscapes of the Mongolian steppe through the mid-late second millennium to early first millennium cal BC. Khirigsuurs sustained ceremonies that legitimized the relationship between the deceased and the participants, facilitated the formation of new alliances, and emphasized integration and cohesion between mobile pastoralist communities through monument building, ritual horse slaughter, and feasting. Horses played a prominent role in ceremonial activities conducted at khirigsuurs, their heads and hooves regularly deposited in small stone satellite mounds as part of publically visible ceremonies associated with mortuary celebrations that simultaneously integrated mobile pastoralist communities. Here, strontium and oxygen isotopic analyses of sequentially sampled teeth of horses from khirigsuurs located in the Khanuy Valley, a major center of monumental activity situated north of the Khangai mountains in Mongolia, indicate horses from distant locales were ceremonially placed in khirigsuur satellite mounds, while patterned seasonal variation in carbon isotopes suggests horses were fodder provisioned during the winter months. These isotopic data suggest horses were well cared for, reflecting their status as a prestige animal, and were key to facilitating regionally integrative ceremonial activities conducted at khirigsuurs that brought together people from geographically distant mobile communities.

Ridanäs was an important Viking Age trading port on the island of Gotland, Sweden, in use during the 7–11th centuries, CE. Excavations at Ridanäs have revealed the presence of two cemeteries containing over 80 individuals. This study uses... more

Ridanäs was an important Viking Age trading port on the island of Gotland, Sweden, in use during the 7–11th centuries, CE. Excavations at Ridanäs have revealed the presence of two cemeteries containing over 80 individuals. This study uses strontium isotope data derived from tooth enamel to determine the prevalence of non-locals buried at this site. Tooth enamel samples from a total of 60 adults from Ridanäs were analyzed for strontium isotope ratios. In addition, archaeological faunal samples were analyzed to define the local bioavailable strontium isotope baseline range. Individuals were considered local if they fell within two standard deviations of the mean baseline data value. The mean of the local faunal samples was 0.712419 ± 0.0016. Results indicated that 8 of the 60 individuals were non-local to the site of Ridanäs and the island of Gotland. The eight non-locals were likely from areas in northern Sweden or Norway. Although migration was a hallmark of the Viking Age, data from this study indicates that non-local individuals were not buried at this trading port. The lack of non-locals may be due to the fact that foreign traders did not make permanent residency on Gotland, or that the Vikings on Gotland did not allow non-locals to take advantage of their trade economy.

This analysis of faunal bones from Wolf Village focuses on large game and its utility, as evidenced by what is known as the modified general utility index (MGUI). The MGUI proposes that bones at sites reflect transportation and butchering... more

This analysis of faunal bones from Wolf Village focuses on large game and its utility, as evidenced by what is known as the modified general utility index (MGUI). The MGUI proposes that bones at sites reflect transportation and butchering choices made by hunters at kill-butchering sites. According to the assumptions associated with the MGUI, hunters should select animal portions with high food value. The MGUI has been used in Fremont archaeology to provide a rough measure of site function. The expectation is that faunal bones would accompany the prized cuts of large game meat at habitation sites – and the animal parts with little food value would remain at kill-butchering sites because they are not worth the cost to carry them to the village. My analysis of large game animal bones found in excavations at Wolf Village counter these expectations. Fremont hunters at Wolf Village were returning to the site with low-caloric portions of large game, at least part of the time. Results from strontium isotope analysis suggest that many of the large game individuals hunted by the Fremont were not local to the immediate area. This suggests that hunters saw utility in low-caloric elements not related only to food value. Some low-caloric skeletal elements were used by the Fremont to construct bone tools and other objects, and as possible symbolic objects used in abandonment rituals. The results of this research suggests that the MGUI is not appropriate for measuring the utility of animal portions to the Fremont. Only when considering the social and non-caloric economic reasons for transporting low caloric elements, can archaeologists discover the true utility of large game animal parts to Fremont hunters.

The study of the Bom Santo Cave (central Portugal), a Neolithic cemetery, indicates a complex social, palaeoeconomic, and population scenario. With isotope, aDNA, and provenance, analyses of raw materials coupled with stylistic... more

The study of the Bom Santo Cave (central Portugal), a Neolithic cemetery, indicates a complex social, palaeoeconomic, and population scenario. With isotope, aDNA, and provenance, analyses of raw materials coupled with stylistic variability of material culture items and palaeogeographical data, light is shed on the territory and social organization of a population dated to 3800–3400 cal BC, i.e. the Middle Neolithic. Results indicate an itinerant farming, segmentary society, where exogamic practices
were the norm. Its lifeway may be that of the earliest megalithic builders of the region, but further research is needed to correctly evaluate the degree of this community’s participation in such a phenomenon.