Strontium Isotope Data Research Articles

Over the river and into the hills: locals and non-locals at Inzersdorf, a late Bronze Age cemetery in the Traisen Valley (Austria)

The Late Bronze Age is characterized by the increasing homogenization of material culture and the prevalence of urn burials. The cemetery of Inzersdorf, located in the Lower Traisen Valley, Austria, is used to investigate whether changes in burial practices during the Late Bronze Age were locally driven or influenced by external factors. This study interprets strontium isotope data from 215 calcined human bone samples in the context of a local baseline established from 163 modern plant samples (55 locations) within a 10 km radius of Inzersdorf. Complementary Correspondence Analysis and 14C dates were used to identify chronological changes. The high-density sampling carried out in the Traisen Valley for bioavailable strontium (BASr) enabled the differentiation of people who mainly sourced their food from the valley or the hills. A diachronic shift in land use was identified, with the main food resource obtained from the hills for the earlier and the valley providing most of the foods for the later phase of the cemetery, which is more distinct in men than in women. Five individuals with isotopic values that differed from the main population were identified, one of which has an 87Sr/86Sr of 0.7061 falling below the BASr baseline created with the modern plant data. While the latter may indicate metal-related travel, the other four individuals may be interpreted as inhabitants of single farmsteads. Additionally, an individual with a significant shift in isotopic values between the petrous bone and long bone was identified, indicating changing local food sources over the individual’s life.

Microbialitic third-order Rupelian cycles of the Kuwait Formation, and their global correlative surfaces

The microbialites identified in the Kuwait Formation (also known as the Kuwait Group) at the Jal Az-Zor escarpment were largely misclassified as calcrete beds. Through detailed geological field observations, five distinct microbial beds have been identified and are found to occur at the end of each depositional cycle. Over these cycles, three main facies have been identified; these are bioturbated cross-bedding, calcareous sandstones, and microbial facies. The combination of field and petrographic analyses indicates that these sequences are dominated by siliciclastic facies, with microbial facies primarily manifesting as thrombolites or laminites, with the former being more common. Mineralogical analysis of the microbial facies indicate that over 60% of this facies is composed of calcite, and energy dispersive spectroscopy measured a significant percentage of organic carbon that reached up to 39.3% wt. Scanning electron microscope imagery of the microbial facies identified filamentous bacteria and flagellates as the principal constituents of these microbial assemblages. The bioturbated cross-bedding facies is found to be deposited in an estuarine central bay, the calcareous sandstone facies is deposited in an estuary mouth bar system that transitions laterally into a shoreface setting, and the microbial facies is deposited in a peritidal setting. Strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) dating of the five microbial beds indicates that these beds were deposited at 33.99 Ma, 32.6 Ma, 31.5 Ma, 30 Ma, and 29 Ma, respectively, suggesting that the associated sequences are of a Rupelian 3rd order hierarchy. Our analysis correlates the Jal Az-Zor sequences with New Jersey's Oligocene oxygen isotope sequence boundaries and the La2004 obliquity nodes, suggesting a continued uplift rate during the Rupelian age at the studied area. This article challenges the assumption that the Oligocene success is absent in Kuwait and the surrounding region, opening the door for further assessment of these deposits.

Maintaining the Ramesside Empire: Isotopic Evidence for Elite Migration to Upper Nubia under Pharaonic Rule

Abstract Pharaonic Egypt ruled Upper Nubia (now northern Sudan) from around 1450 to 1070 BCE: previous research has demonstrated how co-opted local elites and descendants of earlier immigrants held senior administrative positions following the initial conquest. Strontium isotope data from 39 individuals buried at the colonial centre of Amara West, combined with archaeological and epigraphic evidence, enable us to demonstrate that elites continued to arrive from outside Nubia in the last 150 years of pharaonic rule, settling amongst long-standing communities. Migration to the occupied territory clearly remained a key component of the colonial project, at a time when indigenous Nubian material culture and practice had become more visible within the pharaonic towns. This pattern of immigration seems to have ceased following the pharaonic state losing control of the region.

Diagenetic evolution of Upper Cretaceous carbonate sequences (Sarvak Formation) in the Abadan Plain, Iran: evidence from petrographic, elemental, stable, and strontium isotopic data

ABSTRACT This study investigates the diagenetic evolution and geochemical variations within the Sarvak Formation by integrating the core, thin-section, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, trace elements, carbon-oxygen, and strontium isotopic data from three wells in the Abadan Plain. The formation displays diverse diagenetic processes, influenced by multiple exposure surface condition including the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary (CT-ES) and middle Turonian (mT-ES). Meteoric diagenesis, shaped by tectonic activities and eustatic sea level changes, played a pivotal role, leading to dissolution (karstification), brecciation, cementation, and palaeosol formation. Geochemical analysis revealed significant elemental variations across the studied wells. Magnesium (Mg) exhibited peaks at sequence boundaries, responding to facies changes, while iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentrations increased below disconformities, reflecting changes in redox conditions and karstification. Sodium (Na) concentrations varied with facies changes, showing peaks at sequence boundaries, indicative of palaeoexposure events. Strontium (Sr) isotopes aided in delineating stratigraphic positions of palaeoexposure surfaces and absolute dating of sequences. Increases in87Sr/86Sr ratios below disconformities suggested subaerial exposure events, with shorter durations at CT-ES and longer durations at mT-ES, contributing to dissolution features development. The δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb values indicated severe meteoric diagenesis below sequence boundaries, characterized by dissolution and reprecipitation of calcium carbonate as low-magnesium calcite (LMC) cements. Cross plots of δ13Ccarb vs. δ18Ocarb displayed inverted-J patterns, indicative of meteoric diagenesis effects. Comparison with previous studies highlighted similar trends in geochemical variations, with notable differences in element concentrations between wells. This study enhances our understanding of diagenetic history of the Sarvak Formation in the Abadan Plain and, in a larger scale, provides insights into diagenetic evolution of palaeoexposure-related carbonate sequences.

Strontium isotope evidence for regional enhanced continental weathering during the early Toarcian in the Tethys Himalaya

The early Toarcian of the Early Jurassic was characterized by an interval of global warming, enhanced continental weathering, and an oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE, ∼183 Ma). However, the changes in continental weathering intensity in low latitudes still remain poorly constrained. Here, we present strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) data of the Pliensbachian–Toarcian (Pl–To) interval from the Tibetan Himalaya, which was formerly located in the tropical/subtropical zone of the southeastern Tethys. An abrupt positive shift in 87Sr/86Sr starting around the Pl–To boundary and continuing during the interval of the negative carbon-isotope excursion (CIE) suggests enhanced continental weathering and increased terrigenous influx. Stratigraphically higher, the 87Sr/86Sr ratios gradually decrease during the recovery phase of the T-OAE CIE, suggesting a decline in continental weathering. Notably, the absolute values and positive-recovery pattern of 87Sr/86Sr data from bulk carbonate (pure micrite) of this study are not consistent with that from belemnites and brachiopods of Europe. Based on strong relationship between 87Sr/86Sr and diagenetic and silicate-derived Sr proxies, the absolute 87Sr/86Sr values here could have been affected to some extent by diagenesis and regional terrestrial input, and thus greatly amplified relative to those of Europe. However, the strontium-isotope positive-recovery pattern broadly corresponds with the pattern and interpretation of other weathering proxies (δ44/40Ca and 187Os/188Os) during the T-OAE. These observations suggest that the 87Sr/86Sr trend still likely reflects the real regional signal but was superimposed by global influence, although the data were biased by diagenesis. Taken together, the 87Sr/86Sr records from Tibetan Himalaya probably provide a useful insight into the regional weathering response, superimposed by the global weathering signal, to the events of the early Toarcian.

Can the Gondwana, Oligocene, and Palaeocene-Eocene coals of India be used as a strontium isotope chronometer?

Strontium isotope data of the Gondwana, Oligocene, and Palaeocene-Eocene coals of India has been compiled for the first time in this report. The Gondwana coals of peninsular India from the Talcher, Ib, Rajmahal, Wardha, and Korba coalfields have the highest mean 87Sr/86Sr value of 0.731762 ± 0.000034 (2σ). Compared with the high radiogenic 87Sr content of the non-marine Gondwana coals, the Oligocene coals from the Makum coalfields in Assam and the Palaeocene-Eocene coals of Meghalaya in North East India had mean 87Sr/86Sr values of 0.708998 ± 0.000029 (2σ) and 0.716335 ± 0.000032 (2σ) respectively. The Sr concentration (mg/kg) of the three types of coal decreased in the order of Oligocene (170.6 mg/kg) > Palaeocene-Eocene (45 mg/kg) > Gondwana (35.6 mg/kg). The one-way ANOVA test done on the strontium data of the three types of coal showed significant differences (at p < 0.05) in the mean 87Sr/86Sr values of the Gondwana and Palaeocene-Eocene coals but homogeneity in the Oligocene coals. The high 87Sr/86Sr and low Sr content in the Gondwana coals can be attributed to silicate weathering products in these coals. In the coals of Meghalaya, the 87Sr/86Sr ratios are influenced by both silicates and carbonates. The Rb/Sr versus 87Sr/86Sr plots for both the Gondwana and Palaeocene-Eocene coals showed a weak positive correlation in contrast to the Oligocene coals. The mean 87Sr/86Sr value of the Oligocene coals was similar to the range of 87Sr/86Sr values obtained in marine-derived gypsum in the Miles coal of China and therefore, provides an opportunity for the construction of a strontium isotope chronometer.

Kinship practices at the early bronze age site of Leubingen in Central Germany

With the beginning of the Early Bronze Age in Central Europe ~ 2200 BC, a regional and supra-regional hierarchical social organization emerged with few individuals in positions of power (chiefs), set apart by rich graves with extensive burial constructions. However, the social organization and stratification within the majority of people, who represent the non-elite, remain unclear. Here, we present genome-wide data of 46 individuals from the Early Bronze Age burial ground of Leubingen in today’s Germany, integrating archaeological, genetic and strontium isotope data to gain new insights into Early Bronze Age societies. We were able to reconstruct five pedigrees which constitute the members of close biological kinship groups (parents and their offspring), and also identify individuals who are not related to individuals buried at the site. Based on combined lines of evidence, we observe that the kinship structure of the burial community was predominantly patrilineal/virilocal involving female exogamy. Further, we detect a difference in the amount of grave goods among the individuals buried at Leubingen based on genetic sex, age at death and locality but see no difference in the types of grave goods.

Characteristics of geothermal waters in eastern Wugongshan based on hydrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotopes

It is crucial to investigate the features of the geothermal waters for sustainable exploitation and utilization. It is rich in low-medium temperature geothermal waters in the Wugongshan area in Jiangxi Province, which is urgent to find out the characteristics of the geothermal waters. This study intends to reveal the genetical model of geothermal waters in the eastern Wugongshan area including recharge source, cyclic evolution, and heat source, based on the methodical analysis of hydrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotopic data. Results show that the precipitation at recharge elevations between 1500 and 2200 m is the main recharge source of geothermal waters in the study area. Precipitation infiltrates deep into the area near the crust and is heated into geothermal fluid. Water-rock interactions occur during deep circulation. In the upwelling process, geothermal waters are mixed with shallow groundwaters at different mixing ratios (17%–74%). Finally, a conceptual model of the geothermal waters is proposed. It can provide some guidance for the development of geothermal waters in the eastern Wugongshan area.

The problem of isolation and freshening of the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Middle Russian Sea: A new 87Sr/86Sr, δ18O and δ13C record from the Saratov Volga region

We provide the first strontium isotope data on molluscs from the lowermost Bathonian (Besnosovi Zone) and lower Aptian (Tenuicostatus and Volgensis zones) of the Saratov Volga region and some new O- and C-isotope results on early Aptian fossils from this region. Despite minor diagenetic changes in the earliest Bathonian bivalve shells from the Besnosovi Zone, they show 87Sr/86Sr values very close to that (0.70706) of a well-preserved belemnite rostrum from the same zone. New data on the Sr-isotopic composition of the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous (early Aptian) molluscs from the Saratov Volga region, combined with information on the stable isotope content of these molluscs, suggest that the isolation and partial freshening of the Middle Russian Sea occurred both in the late Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian, as has recently been reported, and in the early Aptian (during the Volgensis, to a lesser extent the Tenuicostatus chrons). This information on the lower Aptian is consistent with the available stable isotope, palynological and palaeoecological data. The pronounced early Aptian 87Sr/86Sr value deviation detected in many well-preserved fossils mainly from the Volgensis Zone seems to have contributed to the active input of radiogenic strontium into the basin during a series of repetitive events associated with some episodic isolations and partial freshening of the Middle Russian Sea, starting at the Tenuicostatus Chron and intensifying at the onset of the Volgensis Chron associated with the Oceanic Anoxic Event 1a (OAE 1a). New isotope data, collected from certain molluscs residing in the lower Aptian Tenuicostatus Zone of the Saratov Volga region and living in normal seawater salinity conditions, when combined with literature evidence sourced from other locations such as Ulyanovsk Volga region, Central Pacific and Germany suggest the presence of early Aptian climatic optimum. Further molluscs from the lower Aptian Volgensis Zone of the study area offer insight into the habitat conditions of Mesozoic ammonoids.

Diagenetic evolution and effects on reservoir development of the Dengying and Longwangmiao formations, Central Sichuan Basin, Southwestern China

The deeply buried Lower Cambrian Longwangmiao Formation and Upper Ediacaran Dengying Formation from the Sichuan Basin, China, have a total natural gas reserve up to 3 × 1012 m3. The complex diagenetic evolution and their impacts on the present-day reservoir quality have not been systematically elucidated, hampering the current exploration. Crucially, the integration and comparation diagenetic study on these two formations, which may be able to shed new lights on reservoir formation mechanism, are yet to be systemically evaluated. By compiling geochemistry data, including carbonate U-Pb ages and petrophysics data, coupled with new petrology, trace elements, and strontium isotope data, of various types of diagenetic carbonates, this study aims to decipher the potential links between diagenesis and reservoir development of both formations. Intriguingly, similar diagenetic sequence, which contains five distinctive dolomite phases, is established in both formations. The matrix dolomite (D1) and early dolomite cement (D2) were likely formed by reflux dolomitization, as inferred by their nearly syn-depositional U-Pb ages and elevated δ18O caused by seawater evaporation. The subsequent moderate burial dolomite cement (D3) was most plausibly the product of burial compaction as indicated by its lighter δ18O and slightly younger U-Pb ages compared with D1 and D2. Whereas deep burial dolomite cements (D4 and D5) yield markedly depleted δ18O, elevated 87Sr/86Sr, along with much younger U-Pb ages and higher precipitation temperatures, suggesting that they were likely linked to hydrothermal fluids. Despite the wide occurrence of meteoric and organic acids leaching and thermochemical sulfate reduction, they may have only played a subsidiary role on these reservoirs development. Instead, superior reservoir quality is tightly linked to tectonics as inferred by higher reservoir quality closely related to the well-developed fractures and faults filled with abundant hydrothermal minerals. Notably, good reservoirs in both formations are mainly attributed to high permeability caused by tectonics. Hence, this new contribution emphasizes the crucial role of tectonics on spatially explicit reservoir prediction of deep to ultra-deep (up to > 8000 m) carbonates in the Sichuan Basin, as well as other sedimentary basin analogues in China.

Extensive pedigrees reveal the social organization of a Neolithic community.

Social anthropology and ethnographic studies have described kinship systems and networks of contact and exchange in extant populations1-4. However, for prehistoric societies, these systems can be studied only indirectly from biological and cultural remains. Stable isotope data, sex and age at death can provide insights into the demographic structure of a burial community and identify local versus non-local childhood signatures, archaeogenetic data can reconstruct the biological relationships between individuals, which enables the reconstruction of pedigrees, and combined evidence informs on kinship practices and residence patterns in prehistoric societies. Here we report ancient DNA, strontium isotope and contextual data from more than 100 individuals from the site Gurgy 'les Noisats' (France), dated to the western European Neolithic around 4850-4500 BC. We find that this burial community was genetically connected by two main pedigrees, spanning seven generations, that were patrilocal and patrilineal, with evidence for female exogamy and exchange with genetically close neighbouring groups. The microdemographic structure of individuals linked and unlinked to the pedigrees reveals additional information about the social structure, living conditions and site occupation. The absence of half-siblings and the high number of adult full siblings suggest that there were stable health conditions and a supportive social network, facilitating high fertility and low mortality5. Age-structure differences and strontium isotope results by generation indicate that the site was used for just a few decades, providing new insights into shifting sedentary farming practices during the European Neolithic.

Ancient Maya movement in the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, NW Belize

Population pressure and migration are often central features of many hypotheses related to ancient Maya population declines, abandonment episodes, settlement, and sociopolitical organization. The Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA) in northwest Belize shows archaeological evidence for several depopulation and resettlement events. Working hypotheses for the region suggested that the population resettlement and apex of the Late Classic included high numbers of external immigrants. In this paper, we assess movement across ancient Maya settlements from the RBCMA to gauge whether rates of movement overlap with population fluctuations, as garnered by the archaeological record. We present strontium and oxygen isotope data from the dental enamel of 47 ancient Maya individuals recovered from five sites in the RBCMA. We identified seven individuals as being non-local to the region and show potential short-distance movements, where three individuals were local to the RBCMA but not the site from which they were recovered. Our research suggests that movement into and around the RBCMA was steady through time and indicates that rural spaces experienced more movement than their urban counterparts. This may be related to changing regional sociopolitical issues in more urban areas. These data provide insight into both the consistency of movement for the ancient Maya of northwest Belize and the role political activities may have played in prompting movement to more rural areas.

In This Issue

Laser ablation MC-ICP-MS allows in situ strontium isotope data to be obtained for incrementally formed bioapatites such as enamel with extremely high spatial resolution. Here, we provide a large-scale application of the method comparing the ...Understanding mobility and landscape use is important in reconstructing subsistence behavior, range, and group size, and it may contribute to our understanding of phenomena such as the dynamics of biological and cultural interactions between distinct ...

Stabbed to death: an osteobiography example of violence among Longobards (Povegliano Veronese, Italy, 6th-8th c CE)

Herewe report the reconstruction of the osteobiography of an adult male buried in the Longobard cemetery of Povegliano Veronese (Northern Italy, late 6th – early 8th century CE), who shows signs of interpersonal violence. The palaeopathological investigation reveals sharp force traumas on the body of the fourth lumbar vertebra and on two right ribs. The absence of signs of healing or bone remodelling indicates that the defects were perimortem. The injuries probably affected vital organs, leading to death. Further macroscopic observations of the skeleton suggest horseback-riding activity. Strontium isotope data from tooth enamel indicate a non-local origin of the individual. X-ray and CT scan acquisition and Scanning Electron Microscopy analyses were performed to investigate the bone defects. His osteobiography was interpreted and contextualised in the complex socio-political scenario of post-classical Italy. The results document that he spent his childhood outside the Povegliano Veronese area, that during his life he was likely a horseback rider active in battle, but that his violent death did not happen during warfare/battle. This multi-layered approach, supported by archaeological information, osteological investigation, biomolecular analysis, and virtual imagery, allowed for the extensive reconstruction of an individual's life history.

Intense community dynamics in the pre-Roman frontier site of Fermo (ninth–fifth century BCE, Marche, central Italy) inferred from isotopic data

The Early Iron Age in Italy (end of the tenth to the eighth century BCE) was characterized by profound changes which influenced the subsequent political and cultural scenario in the peninsula. At the end of this period people from the eastern Mediterranean (e.g. Phoenicians and Greek people) settled along the Italian, Sardinian and Sicilian coasts. Among local populations, the so-called Villanovan culture group—mainly located on the Tyrrhenian side of central Italy and in the southern Po plain—stood out since the beginning for the extent of their geographical expansion across the peninsula and their leading position in the interaction with diverse groups. The community of Fermo (ninth–fifth century BCE), related to the Villanovan groups but located in the Picene area (Marche), is a model example of these population dynamics. This study integrates archaeological, osteological, carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N) (n = 25 human) and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) isotope data (n = 54 human, n = 11 baseline samples) to explore human mobility through Fermo funerary contexts. The combination of these different sources enabled us to confirm the presence of non-local individuals and gain insight into community connectivity dynamics in Early Iron Age Italian frontier sites. This research contributes to one of the leading historical questions of Italian development in the first millennium BCE.

Crustal Contamination Versus Subducted Components: An Example from The West Java Arc, Indonesia and Its implications in Magma Genesis

New Sr isotope and K2O data are presented for Papandayan and Cikuray Volcanoes in West Java. The data are combined with published Sr isotope and K2O data, and compared with arc that has a similar geological setting, namely Northeast Japan Arc (NJA, N 38° ~ 41°) to constrain the relative importance of crustal assimilation and subducted input of crustal material in magma genesis beneath West Java Arc (WJA). New strontium isotope and K2O data from fifty-four Quaternary volcanic rocks from WJA were collected and compared to forty-six Quaternary volcanic rocks from NJA. The increasing K2O and decreasing of 87Sr/86Sr ratios with distance from trench have been found in NJA, but there are rough and no across arc variation of K2O and Sr isotopic ratios in WJA. This study shows that the across arc variation of magma chemistry on the WJA is attributed to the crustal assimilation and the involvement of subducted sediments and slab fluids from altered oceanic crust.

Chemical Weathering and CO2 Consumption Inferred from Riverine Water Chemistry in the Xi River Drainage, South China.

Hydrochemistry and strontium isotope data were analysed in water samples from the Xi River Drainage system to reveal the spatial and seasonal variations in chemical weathering, associated CO2 consumption fluxes, and their control factors. The main ions were Ca2+, Mg2+, and HCO3-, which are characteristic of a drainage system on carbonate-dominated bedrock. The dissolved loads were derived from four major end-member reservoirs: silicate, limestone, dolomite, and atmosphere. The silicate weathering rates (SWRs) increased downstream from 0.03 t/km2/year to 2.37 t/km2/year. The carbonate weathering rates (CWRs) increased from 2.14 t/km2/year in the upper reaches, to 32.65 t/km2/year in the middle reaches, and then decreased to 23.20 t/km2/year in the lower reaches. The SWR values were 281.38 and 113.65 kg/km2/month during the high- and low-water periods, respectively. The CWR values were 2456.72 and 1409.32 kg/km2/month, respectively. The limestone weathering rates were 2042.74 and 1222.38 kg/km2/month, respectively. The dolomite weathering rates were 413.98 and 186.94 kg/km2/month, respectively. Spatial and seasonal variations in chemical weathering were controlled mainly by lithology, vegetation, and climate (temperature, water discharge, and precipitation). The CO2 consumption flux by chemical weathering was estimated at 189.79 × 109 mol/year, with 156.37 × 109 and 33.42 × 109 mol/year for carbonate and silicate weathering, respectively. The CO2 fluxes by chemical weathering are substantially influenced by sulfuric acid in the system. The CO2 flux produced by sulfuric acid weathering was estimated at 30.00 × 109 mol/year in the basin. Therefore, the Xi River Basin is a CO2 sink with a net consumption of CO2 flux of 3.42 × 109 mol/year.

Using the geographic detector model to identify factors controlling the bioavailability of Sr isotopes in China

Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) are a widely applied tool in provenance applications in archaeology, paleoecology, forensics, and food science. Bedrock Sr is naturally and anthropogenically transferred to other reservoirs on the Earth’s surface through interactions with the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. We attempt to reassess the contribution of the spatial distribution of bioavailable strontium isotopes using the geographic detector model (GDM). Our study reveals that the watershed factor explains 50.35% of the spatial variation of bioavailable Sr isotopes, while the climate, terrain, geology, and soil explain 14.41%, 4.94%, 4.63%, and 4.70% of the spatial variation of bioavailable Sr isotopes. The factors influencing the spatial variation of bioavailable Sr isotopes in China were ranked as follows: basin &amp;gt; climate &amp;gt; terrain &amp;gt; geology &amp;gt; soil type. The nonlinear enhancements of the interactions between the watershed and geology explained 59.90% of the spatial variation in bioavailable Sr isotopes, indicating that natural processes still control the bioavailability of strontium isotopes in China. Based on the synthesized river-water isotopic data, the large-scale bioavailable Sr isoscape discussed herein can be useful for migratory studies in China. The enrichment of strontium isotope data to refine Sr isotopes, as well as the search for better data on possible controlling factors, will make the analysis more comprehensive and provide a solid foundation for explaining strontium isotope migration.

Geographic origin and social status of the Gallic warriors from Ribemont‐sur‐Ancre (France) studied through isotope systematics of bone remains

AbstractRibemont‐sur‐Ancre, France, is the biggest excavated human skeletal assemblage of Northern Gaul. It is interpreted as a post‐battle deposit constructed to celebrate war. However, the chronology of the site, its organization and the origin of the buried warriors are still poorly understood. These problems are studied by a multi‐proxy approach, based on radiocarbon dating, stable and radiogenic isotope analysis of bone remains from three structures within the site. A total of 47 human and 12 animal bone samples were analyzed for their oxygen isotope composition of bone bioapatite (δ18Op), carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of bone collagen (δ13Ccoll and δ15Ncoll). Subsamples of 17 bone collagen and 20 bone samples were selected for radiocarbon dating and strontium isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr), respectively. All samples show preservation from diagenesis, although 87Sr/86Sr contribution from the burial environment cannot be excluded. Therefore, the strontium isotope data are included in the study but are not used in the interpretation of the results. Homogeneous radiocarbon dates of human remains are observed, whereas later dates are obtained for some animal remains, highlighting the continuous use of the monument decades after the conflict. Human individuals have homogeneous δ18Op values, which are consistent with independent numismatic analyses and lead us to propose the Maine region as a potential geographic origin. Heterogeneities of δ13Ccoll and δ15Ncoll values are highlighted between individuals from different structures and are attributed to preferential access to animal protein and different social statuses among the buried warriors.

A multiplicity of identities: The intersections of cranial vault modification, paleodiet, and sex in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

AbstractObjectivesIntentional cranial modification and diet serve as markers of identity. Here, we explore the intersection between the body and social persona in the San Pedro oases through the complex relationship(s) between these markers and other aspects of society and the individual.MethodsSkeletal remains of 1190 individuals were analyzed for evidence of intentional head shaping and classed as unmodified, tabular, or annular. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of bone (n = 203) focused on the contribution of C3plants, C4/CAM plants, beans, and terrestrial animal meat per the Bayesian model, FRUITS. Strontium isotope data from dental enamel was considered for more detailed analyses.ResultsCranial modification was present in 520 individuals (43.7%;N = 1190). Modification was significantly more common among females (χ2 = 7.403,p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in presence or type between periods. Average values for the four modeled food groupings differ significantly. There is a significant difference in consumption of C4/CAM plants by those individuals with modified heads consuming more (26.5 ± 9.9% vs. 23.6 ± 9.4%, Wilcoxon signed‐rank test,p &lt; 0.05). In the Middle Period sample, males consume significantly more C4/CAM plants (p &lt; 0.05) and females more C3plants (p &lt; 0.01). Four of those with outlier C4values were analyzed for strontium, yielding values outside the “local” range.ConclusionsAs head shaping is permanently imposed in infancy while dietary patterns are the consequence of ongoing choices and constraints in the social and ecological environment, these markers of identity are not parallel. The numerous points of intersection between these markers and other aspects of identity are highlighted.