EAA 2022: Abstract

During the last years strontium isotope analysis has been widely used in studies of archaeology as a way to investigate the movements of the past populations, animals and objects. However, the application of this method has some issues and limitations that we are facing and that we would like to discuss.
The study that we carried out is based on an interdisciplinary methodological approach combining anthropological, archaeological and biochemical data from the Chalcolithic to the Early Iron Age in Portugal. We applied strontium and oxygen (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O) isotope analyses. The sample is composed by dental enamel of 65 human and 3 faunal remains. Our purpose is trying to understand whether changes could be observed though time and if we can detect any exogenous individuals in the communities.
Furthermore, we also consider interesting to address other questions such as: evidences of disease and signs of physiological stress, signs of inequalities between community members or social distinctions (age, sex, gender or status) during 2500 years in Beja region (southern Portugal).

Isotope analyses, Baseline, Geology, Mobility, Human, Tooth enamel

Oral presentation

  Abstract (PDF)

Linda Melo²

Marta Bonilla³
António Soares¹
Ana Silva⁴