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The barrow cemetery at Heath Wood, Derbyshire, is the only known Viking cremation cemetery in the British Isles. It dates to the late ninth century and is associated with the over-wintering of the Viking Great Army at nearby Repton in AD 873–4. Only the cremated remains of three humans and of a few animals are still available for research. Using strontium content and isotope ratios of these three people and three animals–a horse, a dog and a possible pig–this paper investigates the individuals' residential origins. The results demonstrate that strontium isotope ratios of one of the adults and the non-adult are compatible with a local origin, while the other adult and all three animals are not. In conjunction with the archaeological context, the strontium isotope ratios indicate that these individuals most likely originated from the area of the Baltic Shield–and that they died soon after arrival in Britain. This discovery constitutes the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs and other animals as early as the ninth century AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high temperatures reached during cremation lead to the destruction of organic matter preventing the use of traditional isotopic methods for dietary reconstructions. Still, strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) and concentration ([Sr]) analyses of cremated human remains offer a novel way to assess changing consumption patterns in past populations that practiced cremation, as evidenced by a large amount of new data obtained from Metal Ages and Gallo-Roman human remains from Destelbergen, Belgium. The Gallo-Roman results show significantly higher [Sr] and a narrower interquartile range in 87Sr/86Sr (0.7093–0.7095), close to the value of modern-day seawater (0.7092). This contrasts with the Metal Ages results, which display lower concentrations and a wider range in 87Sr/86Sr (0.7094–0.7098). This typical Sr signature is also reflected in other sites and is most likely related to an introduction of marine Sr in the form of salt as a food preservative (e.g. salt-rich preserved meat, fish and fish sauce). Paradoxically, this study highlights caution is needed when using 87Sr/86Sr for palaeomobility studies in populations with high salt consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D deficiency has hugely impacted the health of past societies. Its identification in skeletal remains provides insights into the daily activities, cultural habits, and the disease load of past populations. However, up till now, this approach remained impossible in cremated bones, because temperatures reached during cremations destroyed all macroscopic evidence of vitamin D deficiency. This precluded the analyses of a large fraction of the archaeological record, as cremation was an important burial ritual from the Late Neolithic until the Early Medieval period in Europe. Here, the identification of interglobular dentine (IGD), a dental mineralisation defect attributed to vitamin D deficiency, in experimentally burnt teeth, demonstrates this deficiency to be observable in human teeth burned to temperatures as high as 900 °C. In most cases, it becomes even possible to assess the ages-of-occurrence as well as the severity of the IGD and possibly vitamin D deficiency intensity. This study represents a major step forward in the fields of biological anthropology, archaeology, and palaeopathology by opening up a variety of new possibilities for the study of health and activities related to sunlight exposure of numerous past populations that practiced cremation as their funerary ritual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of diagenesis on archaeological and palaeontological bone complicate investigations of in-vivo chemical and isotopic characteristics. Such bone is often pre-treated in an attempt to remove diagenetic alteration prior to trace element or isotopic analyses, although very few standardized approaches exist for evaluating pre-treatment effectiveness. In this pilot study, we characterize the diagenetic alteration and assess the impact of acetic acid chemical pre-treatment on the trace element and structural characteristics of four bones from Belgium, including an Early Medieval cremated bone from Broechem and three representative 'old' bones of different ages (ca. 40–130 ka) from the Late Pleistocene sedimentary sequence of Scladina Cave. Each bone was analyzed before and after acetic acid pre-treatment using the 'Perio-spot' technique and 'Perios-endos' profiles. We measured trace element concentrations with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (μXRF). Structural characteristics were investigated with Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Our results indicate that chemical pre-treatment had little to no significant impact on the trace element content of the Early Medieval cremated bone, had the most impact on the youngest bone from Scladina Cave, and had less impact on the trace element content of two older bones from Scladina Cave. This suggests that the effectiveness of acetic acid chemical pre-treatment is greater for bones undergoing early diagenetic processes, has minimal impact on highly crystalline cremated bone, and may preferentially leach in-vivo signatures from bones undergoing later diagenesis. The weights of leachates removed from each bone also correspond well with their hypothetical diagenetic states, indicating that researchers could potentially assess the diagenetic state of bones by weighing the leachates produced during acetic acid pre-treatment. Therefore, our new approach may provide a valuable step toward effectively and consistently differentiating among in- and ex-vivo trace element signatures, and, by proxy, those of their isotopes, in archaeological and palaeontological bone. • Diagenesis and impact of acetic acid pre-treatment investigated in 'old' and cremated bone • Acetic acid pre-treatment has little to no impact on trace element and structural characteristics of cremated bone • Impact of acetic acid pre-treatment is greatest for reactive 'old' bones undergoing early diagenetic processes • Acetic acid pretreatment may preferentially leach in-vivo signatures from recrystallized 'old' bone • Weights of dried-down leachates correspond with diagenetic state of 'old' bones [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical mapping of biosphere variation has wide application to geological, environmental, forensic and archaeological research. The extent to which trace elements may be used to complement strontium isotopes ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) for biosphere characterisation is unclear and uncertainties exist regarding the most suitable sample media for this purpose. Here, the variation in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and trace elements, with focus on the rare earth elements and yttrium (REE + Y), are measured in soil leachates, vegetation and streamwaters. These independent tracers are employed to define geochemical reservoirs and quantify soil-plant-water interactions in a geologically diverse and archaeologically significant area of Ireland, County (Co.) Meath. This integrated isotope and element approach produces the first combined dataset for this temperate environment. Biological absorption coefficients (BAC) are used to assess bio-uptake of selected elements. The REE + Y exhibited greatest utility in revealing soil parameter controls on bio-uptake, such as reduced availability from preferential retention of Ce on Fe/Mn-oxyhydroxide surfaces, as well as revealing a preferential uptake of Y relative to HREE. High Y/Ho ratios (65.3–465) are exhibited in ash trees ( Fraxinus excelsior L.), regardless of geological setting, indicating a potential species-specific preference. However, aerial portions of ash trees do not directly reflect the REE in the bioavailable portion of the soil, indicating selectivity from the soil reservoir or fractionation during plant uptake and/or intra-plant distribution. Streamwater REE patterns have a consistent and seawater-like pattern probably inherited from marine carbonate bedrock, surficial marine carbonate-derived till, agricultural fertiliser or a combination of all three, and thus were not site lithology diagnostic. By contrast, distinct variation in sources of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr to streamwaters is evident and reflects small-scale differences in underlying bedrock. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr range of vegetation for the study area is 0.7081–0.7130. Soil and streamwater samples collected at proximal locations to the vegetation demonstrated a range of 0.7086–0.7133 for soil leachates and 0.7081 to 0.7107 for streamwaters. Statistically significant (p < .05) differences between the spatial distribution of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in plants and certain underlying bedrock/Quaternary sediment were identified, even in a region without an extreme range in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values. Careful selection of appropriate soil leaching protocols is necessary for an informative estimate of the natural ranges that exist within the pedosphere, supporting the notion that plant material is the most suitable sample medium for mapping bioavailable Sr. The high degree of spatial variability in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and differences between reservoirs can only be accurately represented by relatively high-density sampling of plants. These data complement both national and European-wide initiatives to produce large-scale 87 Sr/ 86 Sr biosphere maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of stable isotopes in fossil bioapatite has yielded useful results and has shown that bioapatites are able to faithfully record paleo-environmental and paleo-climatic parameters from archeological to geological timescales. In an effort to establish new proxies for the study of bioapatites, intra-tooth records of enamel carbonate stable isotope ratios from a modern horse are compared with trace element profiles measured using laboratory micro X-Ray Fluorescence scanning. Using known patterns of tooth eruption and the relationship between stable oxygen isotopes and local temperature seasonality, an age model is constructed that links records from six cheek upper right teeth from the second premolar to the third molar. When plotted on this age model, the trace element ratios from horse tooth enamel show a seasonal pattern with a small shift in phase compared to stable oxygen isotope ratios. While stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in tooth enamel are forced respectively by the state of the hydrological cycle and the animal’s diet, we argue that the seasonal signal in trace elements reflects seasonal changes in dust intake and diet of the animal. The latter explanation is in agreement with seasonal changes observed in carbon isotopes of the same teeth. This external forcing of trace element composition in mammal tooth enamel implies that trace element ratios may be used as proxies for seasonal changes in paleo-environment and paleo-diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As many individuals were cremated inNeolithic and Bronze Age Ireland, they have not featured in investigations of individualmobility using strontiumisotope analysis.Here, we build on recent experiments demonstrating excellent preservation of biogenic 87Sr/86Sr in calcined bone to exploremobility in prehistoric Northern Ireland. Materials and Methods: A novel method of strontium isotope analysis is applied to calcined bone alongside measurements on tooth enamel to human remains from five Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Northern Ireland. We systematically sampled modern vegetation around each site to characterize biologically available strontium, and from this calculated expected values for humans consuming foods taken from within 1, 5, 10 and 20 Km catchments. This provides a more nuanced way of assessing human use of the landscape and mobility than the 'local' vs. 'nonlocal' dichotomy that is often employed. Results: The results of this study 1) provide further support for the reliability of strontium isotope analysis on calcined bone, and 2) demonstrate that it is possible to identify isotopic differences between individuals buried at the same site, with some consuming food grown locally (within 1-5 Km) while others clearly consumed food from up to 50 Km away from their burial place. Discussion: Hints of patterning emerge in spite of small sample numbers. At Ballynahatty, for instance, those represented by unburnt remains appear to have consumed food growing locally, while those represented by cremated remains did not. Furthermore, it appears that some individuals from Ballynahatty, Annaghmare and Clontygora either moved in the last few years of their life or their cremated remains were brought to the site. These results offer new insights into the choice behind coterminous cremation and inhumation rites in the Neolithic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon and oxygen isotope measurements ( δ 13 C, δ 18 O) of bioapatite carbonate fractions in archaeological and fossil remains are essential tools to investigate past diets and climates. The reliability of these reconstructions is however dependent on the recovery of the biological signal and the removal of competing sources of carbon and oxygen isotopes, such as remaining organic material and secondary carbonates. Modern, archaeological and fossil bone and tooth specimens have been treated with different chemicals commonly used to pre-treat the samples with the aim of removing these competing sources of isotopes. Results highlight significant shifts in the isotope values of the samples tested, with different isotopic effects according to which pre-treatment was used. This has a clear impact on the data recovered, and may lead to misinterpretations of the results and inferred past diets and climates. The results of this study suggest that both hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite, the most commonly used oxidising agents employed to remove organic substance, have major problems: hydrogen peroxide is only partially efficient as organic removal agent and causes unwanted bioapatite dissolutions and isotopic shift, while sodium hypochlorite induces the incorporation of exogenous carbonates into the bioapatite, likely from the dissolution of atmospheric CO 2 into the test tube. In both cases, there is an impact on the recovered isotope composition. Hydrazine hydrate, a third chemical for organic removal, has the lowest influence on the bioapatite isotopic composition, being also efficient at removing organic matter from bioapatites. The latter is recommended as an organic removal agent if such pre-treatment is deemed necessary. The use of acetic acid also causes isotopic shifts that seem independent on the removal of secondary/diagenetic carbonate, as also occurring in modern samples. Overall, our study clearly shows that any chemical treatment commonly used to remove unwanted contaminants from the bioapatite samples has also unpredictable, often significant effects on the pristine isotopic composition recovered, and corroborates the need for consistency in the pre-treatment of bone and teeth specimens. It also questions the necessity of removing organic matter at all from most skeletal samples prior to isotopic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only the inorganic fraction of bone survives the high temperatures reached during cremation, so that it remains the sole material available for isotopic analyses. In order to assess the amount of information that can be extracted from such material, we measured carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in the remaining carbonate fraction of experimentally heated modern bone, and cremated bone from several archaeological sites. The results show that the isotope composition of cremated bone is strongly altered, but some information can nevertheless be extracted. First, we find very little evidence of post-burial alterations on the isotope composition of calcined bone. More importantly, it appears possible to obtain information about the way bodies were burned (with or without fuel, oxygen availability) giving the opportunity to improve our knowledge regarding funerary practices in places and times where cremation was practiced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large variety of bioapatite pre-treatments are found in the literature for a wide range of applications going from mineralogy to diagenesis. Additionally, stable carbon and oxygen isotopes in bioapatite carbonates are often measured after pre-treatment to study ancient diets and reconstruct past environments. It is common to pre-treat the samples to remove contributions from competing sources associated to organic material and secondary carbonates. Several chemical methods are described in the literature to pre-treat archaeological and fossil bioapatites (bone and teeth) for isotopic measurements with no consistency on their efficiency. Infrared and elemental analyses are combined in this study to highlight the effects of the different pre-treatments on the structure and chemistry of bioapatite. The different pre-treatments can variably affect the organic and carbonate contents of bioapatites, with some, such as sodium hypochlorite, apparently adding carbonate to the system. This may lead to a change in the biological isotopic signature of bioapatite carbonate, with effects on the correct interpretation of the results. According to the findings of our study, hydrazine hydrate seems to be the best chemical to remove organic matter without affecting the carbonate content of bioapatites, while the use of acetate buffered acetic acid solutions is recommended for removing adsorbed carbonates, when necessary. Sodium hypochlorite, instead, induces the adsorption of exogenous carbonates, while hydrogen peroxide does not remove organic matter efficiently even at high temperatures. These two chemicals should not be used to remove organic matter, especially from bone and dentine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RATIONALE Strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) are used in archaeological and forensic science as markers of residence or mobility because they reflect the local geological substrate. Currently, tooth enamel is considered to be the most reliable tissue, but it rarely survives heating so that in cremations only calcined bone fragments survive. We set out to test the proposition that calcined bone might prove resistant to diagenesis, given its relatively high crystallinity, as the ability to measure in vivo 87Sr/86Sr from calcined bone would greatly extend application to places and periods in which cremation was the dominant mortuary practice, or where unburned bone and enamel do not survive. METHODS Tooth enamel and calcined bone samples were exposed to a 87Sr-spiked solution for up to 1 year. Samples were removed after various intervals, and attempts were made to remove the contamination using acetic acid washes and ultrasonication. 87Sr/86Sr was measured before and after pre-treatment on a Nu Plasma multi-collector induced coupled plasma mass spectrometer using NBS987 as a standard. RESULTS The strontium isotopic ratios of all samples immersed in the spiked solution were strongly modified showing that significant amounts of strontium had been adsorbed or incorporated. After pre-treatment the enamel samples still contained significant amounts of 87Sr-enriched contamination while the calcined bone fragments did not. CONCLUSIONS The results of the artificial enrichment experiment demonstrate that calcined bone is more resistant to post-mortem exchange than tooth enamel, and that in vivo strontium isotopic ratios are retained in calcined bone. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RATIONALE Stable isotope analysis of archaeological charred plants has become a useful tool for interpreting past agricultural practices and refining ancient dietary reconstruction. Charred material that lay buried in soil for millennia, however, is susceptible to various kinds of contamination, whose impact on the grain/seed isotopic composition is poorly understood. Pre-treatment protocols have been adapted in distinct forms from radiocarbon dating, but insufficient research has been carried out on evaluating their effectiveness and necessity for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. METHODS The effects of previously used pre-treatment protocols on the isotopic composition of archaeological and modern sets of samples were investigated. An archaeological sample was also artificially contaminated with carbonates, nitrates and humic acid and subjected to treatment aimed at removing the introduced contamination. The presence and removal of the contamination were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and δ13C and δ15N values. RESULTS The results show a ca 1‰ decrease in the δ15N values of archaeological charred plant material caused by harsh acid treatments and ultra-sonication. This change is interpreted as being caused by mechanical distortion of the grains/seeds rather than by the removal of contamination. Furthermore, specific infrared peaks have been identified that can be used to detect the three types of contaminants studied. We argue that it is not necessary to try to remove humic acid contamination for stable isotope analysis. The advantages and disadvantages of crushing the grains/seeds before pre-treatment are discussed. CONCLUSIONS We recommend the use of an acid-only procedure (0.5 M HCl for 30 min at 80°C followed by three rinses in distilled water) for cleaning charred plant remains. This study fills an important gap in plant stable isotope research that will enable future researchers to evaluate potential sources of isotopic change and pre-treat their samples with methods that have been demonstrated to be effective. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megalithism has been repetitively tied to specialised herding economies in Iberia, particularly in the mountainous areas of the Basque Country. Legaire Sur, in the uplands of Álava region, is a recently excavated passage tomb (megalithic monument) that held a minimum number of 25 individuals. This study analysed the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotope ratios of 18 individuals, in a multi-tissue sampling study (successional tooth enamel sampling, incremental dentine sampling, and bulk bone collagen sampling). The results provide a high-resolution reconstruction of individual mobility, weaning, and dietary lifeways of those inhumed at the site. Oxygen and strontium isotope analysis suggest all individuals come from a similar, likely local, geological region, aside from one biological female who presents a notably different geographical birthplace, weaning, and dietary life history than the rest of the burial population. Comparisons to other nearby megalithic sites (∼35km as the crow flies), located in a valley area, reveal that, whilst sharing the same mortuary practices, these individuals held notably different lifeways. They highlight notably earlier ages of cessation of nursing (≤2 years at Legaire Sur vs. ≥4 years in other megalithic tombs), and a greater dependence on pastoralism than previously observed in lowland megalithic graves. The results from Legaire Sur reveal the complexity of the Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic transition in north-central Iberia, categorising yet another separate socio-economic group with distinctive lifeways inhabiting the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteological data, such as biological sex, constitute a base for research in paleodemography and palaeopathology, as well as for understanding past socio-cultural practices. Despite extensive research efforts concerning cremated human remains over the past decades, an internationally acknowledged, standardized osteological protocol is not fully agreed upon. Furthermore, assessing cremation research practices from the literature is challenging because analysis reports are often written in the national languages of practitioners, which makes them difficult to access by an international audience. This study addresses this gap by directly reaching out to experts working with cremated human remains through an online questionnaire in Lime Survey. The aim is to identify and characterize patterns in cremation analysis practices. A particular emphasis was put on the methods of biological sex estimation. While the significance of these data is widely acknowledged, the ways in which they are obtained in practice are seldom examined. The results of this survey reveal an absence of standardization in protocols of analysis, and data collection, as well as in reporting on the cremated remains in publications and reports. Notably, the findings reveal regional preferences in methodological choices and inconsistent institutional training. A majority of respondents expressed a preference for traditional morphological methods over recently published metric and alternative methods for sex estimation. These variations underscore the complexity of establishing standardized cremation analysis protocols and highlight the importance of considering regional contexts and training in shaping future research practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The circadian clock organizes physiological processes in plants to occur at specific times of the day, optimizing efficient use of resources. Nitrate is a crucial inorganic nitrogen source for agricultural systems to sustain crop productivity. However, because nitrate fertilization has a negative impact on the environment, it is important to carefully manage nitrate levels. Understanding crop biological rhythms can lead to more ecologically friendly agricultural practices. Gating responses through the circadian clock could be a strategy to enhance root nitrate uptake and to limit nitrate runoff. In Arabidopsis, the NITRATE TRANSPORTER 2.1 (NRT2.1) gene encodes a key component of the high‐affinity nitrate transporter system. Our study reveals that NRT2.1 exhibits a rhythmic expression pattern, with daytime increases and nighttime decreases. The NRT2.1 promoter activity remains rhythmic under constant light, indicating a circadian regulation. The clock‐associated transcription factor LUX ARRHYTHMO (LUX) binds to the NRT2.1 promoter in vivo. Loss‐of‐function of LUX leads to increased NRT2.1 transcript levels and root nitrate uptake at dusk. This supports LUX acting as a transcriptional repressor and modulating NRT2.1 expression in a time‐dependent manner. Furthermore, applying nitrate at different times of the day results in varying magnitudes of the transcriptional response in nitrate‐regulated genes. We also demonstrate that a defect in the high‐affinity nitrate transport system feeds back to the central oscillator by modifying the LUX promoter activity. In conclusion, this study uncovers a molecular pathway connecting the root nitrate uptake and circadian clock, with potential agro‐chronobiological applications. Significance Statement: This study highlights the connection between the circadian clock and nitrate high‐affinity transport in plant roots, with potential applications in agro‐chronobiology. The evening clock‐associated transcription factor LUX ARRHYTHMO controls the rhythmic expression pattern of NITRATE TRANSPORTER 2.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site of San Valentino in San Vito al Tagliamento is one of the main urnfield cemeteries in northeastern Italy. Archaeological excavations carried out in the seventies brought to light a cremation cemetery consisting of mainly urn graves with pottery and metal artefacts as grave goods. These materials suggest that the individuals buried in San Valentino were not an isolated local community but had intense contacts with other north-Adriatic communities, in particular with the neighbouring Veneto area, as suggested by the close similarity of the biconical vessels with those recovered in the graves of Este. This paper provides the first osteological study of a preserved sample of individuals buried at San Valentino and uses an innovative multi-proxy approach to refine the chronology of the site through radiocarbon dating of bone apatite, investigate human mobility using strontium isotopes on calcined human remains, and reconstruct the funerary practices by combining FTIR-ATR data with carbon and oxygen isotope ratios on cremated bones. The results date the cemetery to the end of the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age, with a sporadic occupation in the fourth century BC. Strontium isotopes and concentrations show the analysed individuals buried at San Valentino were a local community that exploited nearby food resources. Interestingly, variations in cremation conditions were detected between San Valentino and the contemporary sites of Velzeke, Blicquy, Grand Bois, and Herstal, located in Belgium, by using FTIR-ATR and carbon and oxygen isotope data. This multi-proxy approach applied to the study of cremated human remains can open new research possibilities, being potentially extendable to the study of many pre- and proto-historic and historic communities that practised cremation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limestone islands of the Bahamian archipelago provide a challenging environment for human settlement, one that was not taken up until after AD 700. The analysis of human skeletal remains offers new insights into how this challenge was met. A substantial program of AMS 14C dating on pre-Columbian humans (n = 66) provides a robust chronological framework for the period ca. AD 1000–1600, with the latter date suggesting the possible persistence of an indigenous Lucayan presence on the islands for some decades later than previously thought. Associated stable carbon (δ 13C) and nitrogen (δ 15N) isotope analyses imply an early focus on near-shore marine resources that seems to have rapidly led to their local over-exploitation, resulting in a shift towards horticulture based mainly on root crops. The Medieval Warm Period is very likely to have been a factor in the initial settlement of the islands; the impact of the Little Ice Age is less clear, with no marked changes in either δ 13C or δ 15N. Strontium isotope results are consistent with an origin of most individuals within the archipelago, with a limited (but potentially important for maintaining connections) presence of incomers from the Greater Antilles, and perhaps even further afield. Despite the relatively short history of pre-Columbian occupation, Lucayan adaptations to the Bahamian archipelago were dynamic and demonstrate resilience in the face of both human resource depletion and climate change. • Initial settlement of the Bahamian archipelago coincides with the Medieval Warm Period. • Over-exploitation of near-shore resources offset by increased use of terrestrial resources. • Even small human populations can have an impact on 'pristine' environments. • Pre-Columbian Lucayan populations were resilient to these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium isotopes are used in archaeology, ecology, forensics, and other disciplines to study the origin of artefacts, humans, animals and food items. Strontium in animal and human tissues such as bone and teeth originates from food and drink consumed during life, leaving an isotopic signal corresponding to their geographical origin (i.e. where the plants grew, the animals grazed and the drinking water passed through). To contextualise the measurements obtained directly on animal and human remains, it is necessary to have a sound baseline of the isotopic variation of biologically available strontium in the landscape. In general, plants represent the main source of strontium for humans and animals as they usually contain much higher strontium concentrations than animal products (meat and milk) or drinking water. The observed difference between the strontium isotope composition of geological bedrock, soils and plants from the same locality warrants direct measurement of plants to create a reliable baseline. Here we present the first baseline of the biologically available strontium isotope composition for the island of Ireland based on 228 measurements on plants from 140 distinct locations. The isoscape shows significant variation in strontium isotope composition between different areas of Ireland with values as low as 0.7067 for the basalt outcrops in County Antrim and values of up to 0.7164 in the Mourne Mountains. This variability confirms the potential for studying mobility and landscape use of past human and animal populations in Ireland. Furthermore, in some cases, large differences were observed between different types of plants from the same location, highlighting the need to measure more than one plant sample per location for the creation of BASr baselines. Unlabelled Image • The strontium isotope baseline for Ireland shows 87Sr/86Sr from 0.7067 to 0.7164. • The baseline is based on 228 87Sr/86Sr measurements from 140 locations. • The median 87Sr/86Sr map must always be used with the median absolute deviation map. • At a single location different plants can have very different values (up to 0.0052). • Sampling multiple plants at each location is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing the inclusion of oxygen bearing compounds from the organic fraction of skeletal tissues is often considered key to obtaining faithful δ 18O measurements of the mineral fraction, which are widely used across the archaeological, forensic and geochemical sciences. Here we re-explore the contentious issue of organic removal pretreatments by establishing how different silver phosphate preparation methods perform in producing pure silver phosphates with a faithful biogenic isotopic signal. We then compare this baseline performance to a pretreatment based approach. Our results show that anion exchange purification combined with slow precipitation of silver phosphate consistently produces silver phosphates of high purity without prior pretreatment. Rapid precipitation protocols without additional purification, while effective and time-efficient for low organic samples such as enamel, suffer from the inclusion of substantial amount of organic matter in silver phosphates from bone or dentine samples. However, despite substantial organic contamination in such samples, δ 18O values do not necessarily show substantial shifts. Further study is needed to clarify the reason for this, but for now the use of an anion exchange based protocol represents the most cautious approach to processing bone and dentine samples and we recommend its use for such samples. Confirming previous work we find H 2 O 2 pretreatment to be only partially effective at removing higher amounts of organic matter. Both H 2 O 2 and NaOCl pretreatments show unpredictable side effects on δ 18O values of both bones and inorganic samples. We additionally find no indication that the presence of organic material hinders the dissolution of bioapatite samples. Unlabelled Image • Slow precipitation with anion exchange purification produces silver phosphates that are free of organic contamination. • Rapid precipitation without anion exchange purification remains a time efficient protocol for processing tooth enamel. • Organic removal pretreatments (H 2 O 2 , NaOCl) are unnecessary when using anion exchange resin, but can incur side effects. • Pre-dissolution in HNO 3 is not necessary to ensure complete dissolution of bone samples when samples are powdered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upon passage through Earth's atmosphere, micrometeorites undergo variable degrees of melting and evaporation. Among the various textural and chemical groups recognized among cosmic spherules, that is, melted micrometeorites, a subset of particles may indicate anomalously high degrees of vaporization based on their chemical and isotopic properties. Here, a selection of such refractory element‐enriched cosmic spherules from Widerøefjellet (Sør Rondane Mountains, East Antarctica) is characterized for their petrographic features, major and trace element concentrations (N = 35), and oxygen isotopic compositions (N = 23). Following chemical classification, the highly vaporized particles can be assigned to either the "CAT‐like" or the "High Ca‐Al" cosmic spherule groups. However, through the combination of major and trace element concentrations and oxygen isotopic data, a larger diversity of processes and precursor materials are identified that lead to the final compositions of refractory element‐enriched particles. These include fragmentation, disproportional sampling of specific mineral constituents, differential melting, metal bead extraction, redox shifts, and evaporation. Based on specific element concentrations (e.g., Sc, Zr, Eu, Tm) and ratios (e.g., Fe/Mg, CaO + Al2O3/Sc + Y + Zr + Hf), and variations of O isotope compositions, "CAT‐like" and "High Ca‐Al" cosmic spherules likely represent a continuum between mineral endmembers from both primitive and differentiated parent bodies that experienced variable degrees of evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High resolution in situ trace element μXRF maps and profiles were measured on the enamel exposed in cross sections through archaeological human permanent molars from seven Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic funerary caves and megalithic graves of north-central Iberia. Changes in concentrations of Fe, Zn and Sr in inward direction into the enamel shed light on diagenetic and endogenous trace element concentrations in archaeological tooth enamel. Most of these profiles resemble sigmoid-shaped leaching profiles, suggesting that a combination of diffusion and advection processes govern the uptake of trace elements into the enamel from pore fluids on the outside of the tooth and in the more porous dentine. The present study shows how diffusion-advection (DA) models can be fitted to these trace element profiles to explain changes in trace element concentrations that happen during diagenesis. DA models explain a major part of the variation observed in leaching profiles into the enamel and can be used to reconstruct endogenous trace element concentrations, leaching times and leaching depth as well as trace element concentrations in ambient pore water during diagenesis. Models of trace element leaching together with trace element mapping reveal that Fe, Zn and Sr concentrations consistently increase during diagenesis, regardless of the type of burial site (i.e. funerary caves vs. megalithic graves). Profiles of Pb concentrations show much smaller concentration gradients, causing DA model fitting to be less accurate. Modelled leaching depths of 300–400 μm warrant a careful approach when sampling for endogenous archaeological tooth enamel for trace element and stable isotope analysis. Results also show that it is possible to reconstruct endogenous trace element concentrations from these samples, even without applying pretreatment procedures, because leaching of trace elements into the enamel often remains limited to the outer 300–400 μm of the enamel on archaeological timescales. Modelled leaching times are about ten times lower than the age of the samples, suggesting that the rate of trace element leaching into tooth enamel slows down or even halts during the burial period. • Micro X-Ray Fluorescence scanning reveals trace element variability in archaeological tooth enamel. • Fe, Zn, Sr and Pb leach into tooth enamel during diagenesis. • Diffusion-advection models reconstruct leaching parameters and pristine element concentrations. • Rates and depth of leaching differ per element and between burial types. • Outer enamel and enamel-dentine junction should be avoided when sampling enamel for palaeo reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cremated human remains from Stonehenge provide direct evidence on the life of those few select individuals buried at this iconic Neolithic monument. The practice of cremation has, however, precluded the application of strontium isotope analysis of tooth enamel as the standard chemical approach to study their origin. New developments in strontium isotopic analysis of cremated bone reveal that at least 10 of the 25 cremated individuals analysed did not spend their lives on the Wessex chalk on which the monument is found. Combined with the archaeological evidence, we suggest that their most plausible origin lies in west Wales, the source of the bluestones erected in the early stage of the monument’s construction. These results emphasise the importance of inter-regional connections involving the movement of both materials and people in the construction and use of Stonehenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a methodological advancement in the field of clumped‐isotope (∆47) thermometry, specifically tailored for application to freshwater ostracods. The novel ostracod clumped isotope approach enables quantitative temperature and hydrological reconstruction in lacustrine records. The relationship between ∆47 and the temperature at which ostracod shell mineralized is determined by measuring ∆47 on different species grown under controlled temperatures, ranging from 4 ± 0.8 to 23 ± 0.5ºC. The excellent agreement between the presented ∆47 ostracod data and the monitored temperatures confirms that ∆47 can be applied to ostracod shells and that a vital effect is absent outside the uncertainty of measurements. Results are consistent with the carbonate clumped‐isotope unified calibration (Anderson et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gl092069), therefore, an ostracod‐specific calibration is not needed. The ostracod clumped‐isotope thermometer represents a powerful tool for terrestrial paleoclimate studies all around the world, as lakes and ostracods are found in all climatic belts. Plain Language Summary: In the framework of global warming, the reconstruction of past climatic conditions is important to understand the future evolution of climate and its impact. Lake sediments can be used as archives to quantify these effects. This study presents a novel paleo‐thermometer based on the application of clumped‐isotope technique (i.e., measurement of the number of 13C–18O bonds in carbonate minerals that depends on the temperature of carbonate precipitation) on carbonatic microcrustacea, named ostracods that commonly live in lakes. By using ostracods that formed their shells at known temperatures, we demonstrate that they can be easily used to reconstruct water temperature and hydrological conditions (precipitation/evaporation). The ostracod clumped‐isotope thermometer represents a powerful tool for terrestrial paleoclimate studies around the world, as lakes and ostracods are located in all climatic belts. Key Points: ∆47—ostracod signal accurately records the shell calcification temperature∆47—ostracod signal is not affected by the so called "vital effect"The unified calibration of Anderson et al. (2021) can be used to convert the ∆47—ostracod signal into accurate temperatures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burial rites of archaeological populations are frequently interpreted based on cremated remains of the human body and the urn they were deposited in. In comparison to inhumations, information about the deceased is much more limited and dependent on fragmentation, selection of body regions, taphonomic processes, and excavation techniques. So far, little attention has been paid to the context in which urns are buried. In this study, we combined archaeological techniques with anthropology, computed tomography, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geochemistry and isotopic approaches and conducted a detailed analysis on a case study of two Late Bronze Age urns from St. Pölten, Austria (c. 1430 and 1260 cal. BCE). The urns were recovered en-bloc and CT-scanned before the micro-excavation. Osteological and strontium isotope analysis revealed that the cremated remains comprised a young adult female and a child that died at the age of 10–12 years. Both individuals had been subject to physiological stress and were likely local. Animal bones burnt at different temperatures suggested different depositional pathways into the urn and pit as part of the pyre, food offerings, and unintentional settlement debris. Eight wild plant and five crop plant species appeared as part of the local landscape, as food offerings and fire accelerants. Sediment chemistry suggests that pyre remains were deposited around the urns during burial. Multi-element geochemistry, archaeobotany, and zooarchaeology provide insights into the Late Bronze Age environment, the process of cremation, the gathering of bones and final funerary deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Belgium plants show 87Sr/86Sr values ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259. • The baseline is based on 604 plant 87Sr/86Sr measurements from 220 locations. • Lithological units have different 87Sr/86Sr distributions (KW-test, p < 0.0001). • All outliers are grass samples, indicating proneness to contamination. • Kriging causes progressive boundaries, not reflecting all rock formation limits. Understanding the spatial distribution of strontium isotopes in plants or other archives within a region is crucial for various fields, including archaeology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensic science. This study aims to create a detailed dynamic strontium isoscape for Belgium through high-density plant sampling, presented in a web application (IsoBel) that serves the mentioned research fields. A total of 540 plant samples (199 locations), representing various species of grass, shrubs, and trees across Belgium were collected and were analysed for their strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) to create a first biologically available strontium map. Sampling sites were selected to cover diverse lithological formations and soil types, ensuring representative coverage of the region's geological heterogeneity, by using a novel high density grid mapping method. Sixty-four previously published plants from 21 locations are also included in this study, bringing the total amount of plant samples used to 604 from 220 locations. The results reveal significant variations in 87Sr/86Sr across Belgium (ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259), which reflect the underlying lithology and geological processes (tectonics, weathering,...) which shaped the landscape. Although overlapping 87Sr/86Sr is seen across the majority of lithologies, there is a statistically significant difference between the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across all different lithological units in Belgium (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.0001). Distinct regional patterns were observed, with higher 87Sr/86Sr in the older geological south-eastern part of Belgium, compared to the younger north-western parts. The high-density plant sampling approach employed in this study allowed for enhanced spatial resolution and improved accuracy in the predictive surfaces for bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr created by Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These findings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of strontium isotopes within Belgium and offer a foundation for future studies in archaeology, ecology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensics. Furthermore, the extensive coverage of various plant species provided a robust representation of the local ecosystems and their strontium sources. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on regional strontium isoscapes, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between litho- and biosphere in shaping the strontium isotope compositions of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrary to Brusgaard et al., we believe these constitute, so far, the oldest examples of domesticated animals within a forager context and are definitely older than the dated sheep/goat bone from Hardinxveld. At Bazel all dated aurochs bones (n = 7)[2] are situated in the first half of the 5th millennium cal BC, the youngest one dating to between ca. 4600 and 4500 cal BC (1 sigma). The sheep/goat bones from Bazel do not overlap at all with other sites but form a very distinct group separated by at least 1 to 2‰ from the latter. This particularly holds for the sheep/goat remains from Bazel for which the differences in the carbon values with specimens from other sites in the loess area are too significant to be explained solely by size and/or age differences (Fig. [Extracted from the article]

Cremation is a complex mortuary practice, involving a number of activities of the living towards the dead before, during, and after the destruction of the bodily soft tissues by fire. The limiting information concerning these behavioral patterns obtained from the pyre remains and/or cremation deposits prevents the reconstruction of the handling of the corpse during the burning process. This pioneering study tries to determine the initial positioning of the corpse in the pyre and assess whether the deceased was wearing closed leather shoes during cremation through isotopic (δ13C, δ18O) and infrared (ATR-FTIR) analyses of experimentally burnt pig remains, used as a proxy for humans. The results obtained show that both the position of feet on or within the pyre and the presence of footwears may moderately-to-highly influence the oxygen isotope ratios of bone apatite carbonates and the cyanamide content of calcined bone in certain situations. By forming a protective layer, shoes appear to temporarily delay the burning of the underlying pig tissues and to increase the heat-shielding effect of the soft tissues protecting the bone mineral fraction. In such case, bioapatite bone carbonates exchange oxygen with a relatively more 18O-depleted atmosphere (due to the influence of lignin-derived oxygen rather than cellulose-derived oxygen), resulting in more pronounced decrease in the δ18Ocarb values during burning of the shoed feet vs. unshoed feet. The shift observed here was as high as 2.5‰. A concomitant isotopic effect of the initial location of the feet in the pyres was also observed, resulting in a top-to-bottom decrease difference in the δ18Ocarb values of shoed feet of about 1.4‰ between each deposition level tested. Finally, the presence of cyanamide (CN/P ≥ 0.02) seems to be indicative of closed footwear since the latter creates favorable conditions for its incorporation into bone apatite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to increase the rate of correctly sexed calcined individuals from archaeological and forensic contexts. This is achieved by evaluating sexual dimorphism of commonly used and new skeletal elements via uni‐ and multi‐variate metric trait analyses. Materials and methods: Twenty‐two skeletal traits were evaluated in 86 individuals from the William M. Bass donated cremated collection of known sex and age‐at‐death. Four different predictive models, logistic regression, random forest, neural network, and calculation of population specific cut‐off points, were used to determine the classification accuracy (CA) of each feature and several combinations thereof. Results: An overall CA of ≥ 80% was obtained for 12 out of 22 features (humerus trochlea max., and lunate length, humerus head vertical diameter, humerus head transverse diameter, radius head max., femur head vertical diameter, patella width, patella thickness, and talus trochlea length) using univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed an increase of CA (≥ 95%) for certain combinations and models (e.g., humerus trochlea max. and patella thickness). Our study shows metric sexual dimorphism to be well preserved in calcined human remains, despite the changes that occur during burning. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the potential of machine learning approaches, such as neural networks, for multivariate analyses. Using these statistical methods improves the rate of correct sex estimations in calcined human remains and can be applied to highly fragmented unburnt individuals from both archaeological and forensic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the increasing demand for extensive strontium (Sr) datasets across various scientific fields has prompted the development of fast, precise, and reliable protocols. These protocols aim to achieve high sample-throughput without compromising data quality. A novel method termed the zirconium (Zr) doped sample-standard bracketing (SSB) has been recently introduced for isotope measurements using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). This method allows for simultaneous acquisition of 87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr data without the need for sample spiking. However, the reliability of this method in handling large datasets and ensuring long-term reproducibility requires additional documentation. A comprehensive examination of the reliability of Sr isotope data over two years involves the implementation of systematic tests on reference materials from the National Institute of standards and technology (NIST) with the standard reference material (SRM) numbers: 1400, 1515, 987, 2910b, 1486, as well as a Hawaiian volcano observatory basalt (BHVO-1). The results of this study lead to the definition of a set of quality control parameters. The developed protocol applies various controls to ensure precise matching of Sr and Zr concentrations for both the samples and the bracketing standard (NIST SRM 987), along with the identification of instrumental biases. The outlined quality control ensures the reproducibility of the results (87Sr/86Sr = 0.710247 ± 0.000026, 2SD, n = 557; and δ88Sr = 0.001 ± 0.053 ‰, 2SD, n = 537 for NIST SRM 987), proving invaluable for archaeological, geological, and ecological studies requiring the fast acquisition of extensive datasets (n > 100) to create isotopic baselines. [Display omitted] • 1465 Sr isotope measurements (87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr) over 2 years. • New data for SRM NIST 987, 1400, 1486, 1515, 2910B, as well as BHVO_1. • Results show importance of using both Zr (91 and 92) correction methods on δ88Sr. • Precision and accuracy improved thanks to 6 developed parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to better understand the development of group identity, mobility, and health in the Early Medieval Meuse Valley. This is achieved by combining existing demographic and palaeopathological information from 73 cremation deposits from Echt, the Netherlands, with new strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) and strontium concentrations ([Sr]) that are performed on pars petrosa, diaphysis, and rib fragments. Although the surrounding Early Medieval cemeteries practiced inhumation, the initial burial community of Echt persisted in expressing the divergent burial ritual of cremation. Thirty-two radiocarbon dates demonstrate the fifth- to sixth-century cremation deposits to be chronologically separated from the seventh-century inhumations that were preserved in situ, suggesting a subsequent burial community replaced cremation with inhumation in the seventh century. Nutritionally inadequate diets may have contributed to the relatively high prevalence of porotic hyperostosis (~ 34%), resulting from decreasing foods supplies caused by deteriorating climatic conditions. The inhabitants are postulated to have mainly consumed foods originating from the land directly surrounding their farmsteads, expressed by the great variability in the 87Sr/86Sr of the diaphyses and ribs (0.7096 to 0.7131), matching the geological complexity of the area. The lack of significant differences between the 87Sr/86Sr and [Sr] of ribs and diaphyses connotes little change in the geological origin of the foods occurred over time, stressing the importance of the yield of local harvests. In contrast, large differences in childhood (i.e. pars petrosa) vs. adult (i.e. ribs and diaphyses) 87Sr/86Sr suggest the regional movement of individuals to possibly support inter-farmstead relationships (e.g. via marriages). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Falys–Prangle‐method assesses age‐related morphological changes to the sternal clavicle end (SCE), enabling the observation of mature adults from the 5th decade onwards in unburnt human skeletal remains. The aim of this study is to investigate the applicability of the Falys–Prangle‐method on burnt human remains. Materials and methods: Fifty‐two SCE of 40 cremated individuals (out of 86) from the William M. Bass collection of the Forensic Anthropology Center (Knoxville, Tennessee) of known age‐at‐death and sex are available for assessment. Surface topography, porosity, and osteophyte formation are evaluated, after which the calculated composite score is associated with the corresponding age range as described by Falys and Prangle. The method is also applied on an archaeological case study from Oudenburg, Belgium, dating to the Roman period. Results: The assessed age ranges strongly agree with the true age ranges (α = 0.828), suggesting the Falys–Prangle‐method to be applicable on burnt human remains. The case study from Oudenburg yields markedly improved age‐at‐death estimates, significantly enhancing our understanding of the age distribution within this community. Discussion: Information on age‐at‐death is key in the construction of biological profiles of past individuals. The mature adult is often invisible in the archaeological record since most macroscopic age estimation methods do not distinguish beyond 46+ years old. Our study stresses the usefulness of a large‐scale application of the Falys–Prangle‐method, which will increase the visibility of mature adults, especially in archaeological burnt human skeletal collections, where such information is, at present, extremely difficult to obtain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Strontium isotope analysis can be applied to the calcined human otic capsule in the petrous part (pars petrosa ossis temporalis; PP) to gain information on childhood mobility in archaeological and forensic contexts. However, only a thin layer of the otic capsule, the inner cortex, demonstrates virtually no remodelling. This paper proposes an improved sampling method for the accurate sampling of the inner cortex of the otic capsule to ensure that 87Sr/86Sr ratios related to early childhood are obtained. Methods: Calcined rib and diaphyseal fragments and PP from ten cremation deposits are sampled for strontium isotope analysis, whereby our improved sampling strategy is applied to sample the inner cortex of the otic capsule. This allows inter‐ and intraskeletal 87Sr/86Sr comparison within an Iron Age collection from Oss, The Netherlands. Results: Forty percent (4/10) of the calcined PP that were evaluated for this study show marked differences in 87Sr/86Sr (0.00035–0.00065) between the inner cortex and the bone sample surrounding this layer, the external cortex that has higher remodelling rates. Differences in 87Sr/86Sr between various skeletal elements also aided in the identification of the minimum number of individuals. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the problematic nature of the external cortex and stresses the need for a precise sampling method of the correct areas of the otic capsule. This can only be obtained by cutting the calcined PP midmodiolarly to enable adequate combustion degree assessment, and the correct identification and sampling of the inner cortex of the otic capsule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 records abrupt transitions from cold stadial to temperate interstadial climate conditions, termed Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events. Reconstructing these rapid climate changes is crucial for documenting the prevailing climatic conditions in Europe during the extinction of the Neanderthals. However, only few continental records are available to define the continental climatic responses to DO changes. Here, the elemental and stable isotope compositions of a well-dated speleothem in Belgium covering the MIS 3 are documented. This speleothem precipitated under equilibrium conditions based on Δ 48 thermometry, allowing the use of Δ 47 thermometry with confidence. Moreover, the precision and accuracy of our clumped-isotope analyses are demonstrated through the long-term monitoring of international Δ 47 standards. The acquired unique thermometry paleoclimatic dataset enables the reconstruction of temperature based on the hydrological information (oxygen-18 of drip water; δ18Ow) and sheds new light on the DO climate variations. A temperature differential of ∼7 °C is associated with alternating temperate warm and wet Interstadials to cold and dry stadials. The DO-12 is the most pronounced MIS 3 interstadial in the record and appears to be marked by a delay of 1000 years between climate enhancement (warmer temperature) and water availability (moisture increase). By combining our speleothem record with other continental and marine archive, the spatial variability of DO changes in Europe during the MIS 3 is defined. A gradual climate deterioration with colder and drier conditions, associated with the Heinrich 4 event, progressed southwards through Europe. This spatial climatic degradation, during the last phase of Neanderthal populations occupation in Europe, provides better environmental constraints for human mobility models. • We study an isotopically equilibrated speleothem covering the MIS 3 in Western Europe. • A temperature differential of ∼7 °C is associated with alternating interstadials to stadials. • DO-12, the most pronounced interstadial, start with a 1000-years delay between climate enhancement and water availability. • A southward gradual climate deterioration with colder and drier conditions is observed through western Europe. • As no comparable southward Neanderthal decline is observed, a climatic role in the Neanderthals' extinction may be excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in human subsistence and settlement patterns have been documented at Holocene archaeological sites across Island and Mainland Southeast Asia. Although climate is frequently invoked as a causal mechanism underlying this variation, direct evidence of ancient rainfall variability on the scale of human lifetimes has thus far been elusive. Here we use a novel time-resolute method for in situ measurement of human tooth enamel δ 18O values (n = 2629 near-weekly measurements sampling 51 years) to assess past rainfall seasonality patterns in Southeast Asia. Seasonal fluctuations in enamel δ 18O values of ancient humans from several different periods are compared to modern rainfall recorded in Vietnam, Philippines, and Indonesia by the Global Network in Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP). The likelihood that the ancient humans reflect local precipitation patterns is established through measurement of bulk enamel 87Sr/86Sr ratios. Comparison of the archaeological individuals and the modern rainfall datasets shows that the seasonal variabilities in ancient δ 18O enamel are consistent with seasonal variabilities in modern δ 18O precip across the study locations (highest in Vietnam, lowest in Indonesia, intermediate in the Philippines). Strong seasonal δ 18O enamel trends in four of five hunter-gatherers from Con Co Ngua, Vietnam, facilitate the inference of birth approximately six months prior to the onset of monsoons, consistent with tropical subsistence societies where food availability correlates with rainfall. High-resolution analysis of human tooth enamel represents a powerful new tool for seasonality reconstructions across different regional and climatic settings. • Ion microprobe sampling of human teeth yields near-weekly records of tooth chemistry. • Developmentally-informed samples reveal seasonal variation in dental enamel δ 18O values. • Data from archaeological individuals from South Asia show patterns consistent with modern rainfall. • Birth seasonality is established for highly-seasonal Vietnamese hunter-gatherers. • Overlapping human enamel δ 18O values caution against sole use for geolocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Δ 47 -ostracod thermometer provides past T, seasonality and hydrology conditions. • The Δ 47 signal on fossil ostracods is not affected by the vital effect. • Median t in central Italy varied from 17 °C (MIS3) to 12 °C (MIS2) to 23 °C (Holocene). • Insolation conditions enhanced the effect of the millennial climate variability. • Seasonality contrast was lower than today in the early Holocene. This study shows, for the first time, the absence of a vital effect in the clumped isotope carbonate (Δ 47) fossil ostracod signal and confirms the ability of the novel ostracod-Δ 47 thermometer to reconstruct past temperatures and hydrological conditions in complex lacustrine systems. Furthermore, the application of Δ 47 analyses on the ostracod species Candona angulata and Cyprideis torosa from Lake Trasimeno record (central Italy), which today precipitate their shells during the cold and the warm season respectively provides evidence that by combining biological (i.e., ostracod shell precipitation timing), paleontological (i.e., identification of ostracod species) and geochemical (i.e., Δ 47) approaches, the ostracod-Δ 47 thermometer accurately reconstructs past seasonality. Despite the absence of a vital effect, not all species can be combined for Δ 47 analyses in environments with seasonal temperature variations; only those that precipitate their shells during the same season should be considered. The application of the ostracod-Δ 47 thermometer on the Trasimeno lacustrine record gives rise to the first continental warm season paleotemperature reconstruction of the last 43 ky in central Mediterranean area. The combination of Δ 47 and oxygen isotope composition (δ18O ost) measured on ostracod shells provides the isotopic composition of the water from which the carbonate precipitated (δ18O w) and thereby, changes in the evaporation/precipitation balance in this area. Before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), equivalent to the Marine Isotopic Stage 3 (MIS3, from 43 to 29ky), warm season temperatures ranged from 15 ± 1.6 °C to 22 ± 2.3 °C, equivalent to 2 to 6 °C colder than today. Hydrological conditions during this period are similar to the present-day ones, characterized by a permanent lake and a high evaporation/precipitation ratio (E/P). The drastic decrease of the warm season temperatures (ranging from 10 ± 2.9 °C to 17 ± 3.1 °C) and of the E/P ratio during LGM and Late-glacial (MIS2, from 29 to 11.6 ky) correspond to the global climate cooling and low summer insolation, suggesting an amplifying role, of the latter, in the effects of the millennial scale climatic variations. At the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, both warm season temperature (25 ± 2 °C) and the E/P ratio increased in conjunction with the summer insolation. During the early Holocene, warm season temperature (23 ± 2 °C) closely resembles present-day values. However, cold season temperature (12 ± 2 °C) is approximately 4 °CC warmer than today. Notably, no hydrological differences are identified between the warm and the cold season underlying a lower seasonality contrast compared to the present, along with enhanced warm season precipitation. The good agreement between the Δ 47 temperatures reconstructed for the last 1 ky and the temperatures presently recorded at Lake Trasimeno (8 °C cold and 22 °C for warm season), confirms the accuracy of the analyses and the applicability of the ostracod-Δ 47 thermometer to reconstruct seasonal temperature changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Three early medieval Irish communities within a 30-km radius in Co. Meath, Ireland, have been examined using multiple isotopes (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δ13C, δ15N) to elucidate human and domesticated animal subsistence and provenance. Existing 87Sr/86Sr data from geochemical mapping of contemporary soils, plants and streamwater were compared to human and animal tooth enamel 87Sr/86Sr to assess potential past human migration, in combination with δ18O from bone collagen. Oxygen isotope (δ18O) values of human bone collagen are notably invariable, 10.0 ± 0.6‰ (n = 36), for the three archaeological sites: Collierstown, Johnstown and Raystown. Fauna (sheep, pigs, cats and a dog) δ18O collagen from Raystown are distinctly grouped between and among certain species, the first instance to our knowledge of such a result. The aggregate faunal data demonstrate that δ18O collagen values of faunal remains should not be used to infer local δ18O ranges for humans. Nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values for both domesticated animal (9.8 ± 1.7‰) and adult human (12.0 ± 0.8‰) bone collagen are tightly constrained suggesting a similar source of protein in the diet of humans. A mean carbon isotope (δ13C) value of −21.0 ± 0.4‰ for adult humans indicates overwhelming terrestrial sources of foodstuffs. Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) from human dental enamel range from 0.7085-0.7110 (n = 25). Two individuals (R841 and R854), both from Raystown, are statistical outliers based on their 87Sr/86Sr and δ13C values and are likely migrants to the locality where they were buried. We note that one of these putative migrants met a particularly violent end. Highlights • Isotopes (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δ13C, δ15N) of three early medieval Irish sites are presented. • Two individuals are outliers based on 87Sr/86Sr and δ13C and are likely migrants. • Oxygen isotope (δ18O) values of human bone collagen are invariable, 10.0 ± 0.6‰. • Fauna (sheep, pigs, cats and a dog) δ18O collagen group between and among species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of funerary practices provide information about many aspects of death in past societies. However, only limited archaeological evidence documents the circumstances under which cremations occurred and the person(s) who were performing the funerary rituals. Lying at the border between Atlantic and Continental cultural traditions, the Scheldt and Meuse basins of Belgium represent a unique location to investigate variations in ancient pyre technology and body management, as well as the transfer of knowledge related to cremation techniques during the Metal Ages (ca. 2100-52 BCE). The combined use of Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of different skeletal elements from cremation deposits from four archaeological sites clearly shows differences between the Meuse and Scheldt basins. Different wood availability or selection, and variations in the skills and/or experience of the cremation operator may explain these results. These observed differences are likely linked to ways in which cremation was performed in the two basins, indicating that during the Metal Ages, burning processes were not homogeneous in the Belgian region. Instead, cremation practices appear to align with the different cultural influences also observed in ceramics and bronze artifacts from the same time period. These observed differences in funerary practices between the two basins in Belgium show the immense potential of combining infrared and carbon and oxygen isotope analyses to investigate cremation rituals in any period and region around the world. • Cremation is the dominant funerary practice in Belgium during the Metal Ages. • Multi-proxy/sampling analyses reveal differences in cremation practices. • Chemical and structural changes on burnt bones show variations in burning conditions. • Cultural differences were observed in cremation practices in Belgium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The funerary Bronze Age culture in the Belgian part of the Meuse valley is poorly understood due to the challenging nature of cremation deposits that dominate the archaeological record. Only a few sites were analysed in that region, limiting the possibilities to reconstruct the development of Bronze Age populations in Belgium. Due to its good preservation and detailed excavation reports, the site of Herstal (Belgium) offers a unique opportunity to finally gain new insights into the life and death of those buried in the Meuse Valley during the Late Bronze Age. A total of 21 graves were analysed using a multi-proxy approach, combining grave typology, osteoarchaeology, strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr), and radiocarbon dating. The 87Sr/86Sr results show that the individuals of Herstal most likely used a variety of local food supplies while having interactions with other populations in and beyond the Meuse Valley, as demonstrated by the bronze artefacts and ceramics displaying clear influences from Germany, Southern Netherlands, and North-West France. The cemetery most likely shows a local burial style with the presence of two (or even three) individuals in several cremation deposits containing a number of privileged individuals who had access to bronze trading networks. • Multi-proxy analyses reveal regional and local burial practices. • 87Sr/86Sr from different bone fragments in the same grave aid in determining MNI. • Different radiocarbon dates within single graves show familial significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of the first domesticated animals and crops along the coastal area of Atlantic NW Europe, which triggered the transition from a hunter-gatherer-fisher to a farmer-herder economy, has been debated for many decades among archaeologists. While some advocate a gradual transition in which indigenous hunter-gatherers from the very beginning of the 5th millennium cal BC progressively adopted Neolithic commodities, others are more in favor of a rapid transition near the end of the 5th millennium caused by a further northwest migration of farmers-herders colonizing the lowlands. Here, radiocarbon dated bones from sheep/goat and possibly also cattle are presented which provide the first hard evidence of an early introduction of domesticated animals within a hunter-gatherer context in NW Belgium, situated ca. 80 km north of the agro-pastoral frontier. Based on their isotope signal it is suggested that these first domesticates were probably not merely obtained through exchange with contemporaneous farmers but were kept locally, providing evidence of small-scale local stockbreeding in the lowlands maybe as early as ca. 4800/4600 cal BC. If confirmed by future in-depth isotope analyses, the latter testifies of intense contact and transmission of knowledge in this early contact period, which is also visible in the material culture, such as the lithic and pottery technology. It also implies direct and prolonged involvement of farmer-herders, either through visiting specialists or intermarriage, which follows recent genetic evidence demonstrating much more hunter-gatherer ancestry in early farmer's genes in western Europe compared to central and SE Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eocene Epoch is characterized by high global temperatures compared to present-day climate, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and a lack of polar ice caps (Pearson and Palmer, 2000). This period is therefore of wide interest for the paleoclimate community as a potential analogue for future climate (IPCC, 2013). While many studies provide reconstructions of long-term climate change or geologically rapid hyperthermal events during the Eocene, there is little knowledge of environmental changes at an annual to sub-annual timescale. However, such records are indispensable if the effects of climate transitions on the occurrence of extreme weather events and changes in seasonality are to be understood. The chemical composition of well-preserved mollusc shells records valuable information about these short-term changes in climate and can be used to reconstruct paleoclimate and –environment down to a seasonal scale (Andreasson & Schmitz 1996). In this study, we investigate the use of large (up to ±40 cm long) exceptionally well-preserved fossil Campanile giganteum gastropod shells from the Lutetian (±45 Ma) Paris Basin as high-resolution recorders of Eocene hothouse conditions.Trace element (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, Mg/Li, Sr/Li), stable isotope (δ13C, δ18O) and clumped isotope (47) analyses were combined on the same shells in a multi-proxy approach as the large size of these gastropods permits sampling at sub-annual resolution. This study design can therefore reveal species-specific vital effects and/or biases in all proxies, which are known to complicate reconstructions based on fossil mollusc genera without modern representatives.As these vital effects can complicate reconstructions, similar sampling strategy was carried out on the shell of a close extant relative (Campanile symbolicum) which grew under known recent conditions in Telegraph Bay in Australia. In the modern specimen, all three proxies record a clear seasonal cyclicity that can be linked to known changes in temperature, productivity and salinity. Seasonal patterns in these very long gastropod shells reveal exceptionally high growth rates of both C. symbolicum and C. giganteum during the warm season as well as nearly year-round growth. Therefore, Campanile shells can be used for paleoenvironmental reconstructions at a very high temporal resolutions, up to weekly or even sub-daily resolution. 47 values in the modern specimen are biased to colder temperatures, and we explore the possibility for vital effects in this species.IPCC, 2013, Climate change 2013: the physical science basis: Working Group I.Andreasson, F.P. & Schmitz, B. 1996, Winter and summer temperatures of the early middle Eocene of France from Turritella δ18O profiles, Pearson, P.N & Palmer, M.R., 2000, Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over the past 60 million years, Nature 406, 695-699. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]