EAA 2022: Session #213

The diversity of isotope studies in archaeological research is increasing at a rapid pace. Despite being initially limited to niche roles, applications like dietary reconstruction with stable carbon isotopes, the provenance of raw materials with lead isotopes or radiocarbon dating became popular over time and are now considered standard methods. Advancements in instrumentation, new isotope systems, and novel methods of interpreting data opened up new pathways for reconstructing ancient times. At the same time, standards for working with legacy data and for the publication of high-quality data become more and more critical because both the amount of both, legacy data and new analyses, are rapidly growing.
Unfortunately, discussions about good practices remained somewhat limited in isotope archaeology and are either restricted to a small part of the community and/or are happening in neighboring fields. However, many aspects of isotope archaeology are independent of specializations and materials. Moreover, everyday business, publication pressure, and the precariousness of today’s Academia make it hard to find the time for strolling away from one’s specialization, systematically exploring new research fields, and getting inspired by unconventional methodological approaches of colleagues.
We, therefore, invite contributions dealing with the application of isotopes to archaeological materials and research questions in the broadest sense possible. This session aims to offer inspiration from and discussion about the work of colleagues you otherwise might only come across by chance and to provide a forum for exchange beyond the borders of specializations and materials.

Archaeological science, stable isotopes, radiogenic isotopes, legacy data, good practice, isotope archaeology

Regular session

  Abstract (PDF)

Thomas Rose^1,3,5

Roshan Paladugu^4,6
Matteo Giaccari²

Foodweb isotopic variability in the Early Neolithic: detailed animal baseline relevance and implication in the Aisne Valley (5100-4900 BC)

The diet system of the Bronze Age East Europe population and dietary resources: interpretation of stable isotope data

Understanding the past through the present: The Importance of Controlled Feeding Experiments in Isotope Archaeology

Preserving barley in peat hearths: experimental archaeology, stable isotopes and the Iron Age site of Clachtoll broch, Scotland

Stable Isotopes Studies in Sicilian Phoenician and Punic Settlements

Investigating human-animal interactions in precolonial Hispaniola: using Bayesian dietary mixing models to differentiate wild and domesticated plant food source contributions

WEaning Age FiNder (WEAN): A simple tool for estimating weaning age from isotopic data

Archaeology of Brazilian shellmounds: old questions and new multi-proxy approaches

A combined osteological, isotope and proteomics approach to poorly preserved human remains from a Dutch East India Company burial ground.

The isotopic ratio 87Sr/86Sr as mobility/permanence marker in Velia archeological site

Constructing bioavailable strontium baselines from the local to the multi-national scale using new and legacy data – challenges and limitations

The application of Sr isotopes to decipher the source of Nabataean bronze coins collected in Israel

From OXALID to GlobaLID: A substantial upgrade of a well-known data pool of lead isotopes for metal provenancing using R

Furthering our understanding of the sources of the metal of Roman denarii – A multi-isotope and elemental analysis approach

Social trajectories of Mediterranean import in the Transalpine world between the 3rd century BC and 2nd century AD

Developments towards FAIR and LOUD instrumental data repositories in other disciplines

How can we be sure that our (osseous) find is appropriate for AMS 14C measurement?

Roman connections in Valkenburg: a triple Sr-O-C isotope approach to the human remains of the people in a militarised borderscape

The dietary impact of the Yamnaya horizon on contemporary agriculturalist populations in the Balkans

Comparison of removal methods of conservation substances laid on archaeological bone samples dedicated to carbon isotopic analyses

Sampling methodology for the radiocarbon dating of historical mortar: Examples of samples from the oldest structures at Prague Castle (CZ)

Stable isotope analysis in human bone collagen for the reconstruction of dietary patterns in the ancient colony of Abdera (Greece).

Diet reconstruction in ancient Ambracia: Stable isotope analysis (δ15N, δ13C) from human bone collagen, during the archaic and classical years.