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[English version]This PhD thesis focuses on the comprehensive chemical and isotopic characterization of various meteorite types, aiming to enhance our understanding of significant processes that shaped the early solar system and its current state. The study centers on the volatility-controlled evaporation and condensation of elements related to asteroid impacts, specifically investigating isotopes of the moderately volatile elements (MVE) zinc, gallium, copper, and iron. The first part of this project was dedicated to the development of a Ga purification technique for precise isotopes measurements. Once established, this method was applied to meteorite samples. Most meteorites are generally regarded as pristine objects, but this is not always the case. Some processes such as thermal metamorphism, aqueous alteration and or impact-shock can significantly alter the chemical and isotopic composition of a meteorite. To investigate this, we studied the bulk MVE isotopes compositions of metal-rich equilibrated ordinary chondrites (H6). We found that the isotope systems show a correlation between the absolute range of isotopes compositions and the 50 % condensation temperature, with the more volatile elements present a higher range of fractionation. Also the range of fractionation observed does not appear to be linked to the shock stages or weathering grades of the samples indicating other processes at play. Their compositions could be inherited from the early solar nebula and accretion processes of the ordinary chondrites parent bodies, with minor effects of thermal metamorphism. We then shifted to metal-rich carbonaceous chondrites (CB and CH) which are thought to have origins related to an impact-vapor plume. We investigated their bulk elemental compositions and their isotopes compositions in Zn, Ga, Cu, and Fe. The observed distinctions in isotopic levels, particularly in Ga, Cu, Fe, and Zn, suggest complex processes at play during their formation. We could confirm vari, Doctorat en Sciences, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The Final Neolithic and the Bronze Age (3000-800 BC) are periods of great transformations in the communities inhabiting the area of modern-day Belgium, as testified by archaeological evidence showing an increasing complexity in social structure, technological transformations, and large-scale contacts. By combining 599 available radiocarbon dates with 88 new 14C dates from 23 from funerary sites, this paper uses kernel density estimates to model the temporality in the use of inhumation vs. cremation burials, cremation deposits in barrows vs. flat graves, and cremation grave types. Additionally, by including 78 dates from settlements, changes in population dynamics were reconstructed. The results suggest a phase of demographic contraction around ca. 2200-1800 BC highlighted by a lack of dates from both settlements and funerary contexts, followed by an increase in the Middle Bronze Age, with the coexistence of cremation deposits in barrows and, in a lower number, in flat graves. At the end of the 14th-13th century BC, an episode of cultural change with the almost generalized use of flat graves over barrows is observed. Regional differentiations in the funerary practices and the simultaneous use of different grave types characterize the Late Bronze Age., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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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., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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.

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.

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., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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)., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

In Europe the characterization of the Neolithic period is traditionally dominated by the advent of agro-pastoralism. Neolithic populations in the Dnieper Valley region of south-central Ukraine are notably divergent from this trend. From the Epi-Palaeolithic-Neolithic periods (ca. 10,000 - 6000 cal BC), evidence for the adoption of agro-pastoral technologies is absent from archaeological assemblages. It is not until the Eneolithic period (ca. 4500 cal BC) that we observe the beginnings of a transition to farming in the Dnieper region. One hypothesis suggests that spikes in aridity propagated a hunting crisis in Mesolithic populations, which prompted a delay in the transition and the reshaped of Mesolithic subsistence practices to focus on freshwater aquatic resources to supplement terrestrial herbivores such as boar and deer. This research presents 300+ human and faunal samples (including 80 unpublished results), using multi-disciplinary techniques such as DNA analysis and various isotope applications, alongside osteological analysis, to provide holistic individual life histories. The results show long-term continuation of ܪshing practices from the Epi-Palaeolithic to Neolithic periods - no distinct shift from hunting to ܪshing practices took place. DNA results show the predominance of indigenous hunter-gatherers, with limited genetic inclusions from proximal Anatolian farming populations. Thus, despite the availability of plentiful dietary resources and the westward inܫuence of extra-local farming populations, the prehistoric communities of the Dnieper region remained resistant to change and resilient in terms of their subsistence strategies, with freshwater resources providing a ‘buffer’ against any perceived impacts from climate variability.

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The adoption of a new funerary ritual with all its social and cognitive meanings is of great importance to understanding social transformations of past societies. The first known occurrence of cremation in the territory corresponding to modern Belgium dates back to the Mesolithic period. From the end of the Neolithic onward, the practice of cremation was characterized by periods in which this rite was predominant and periods of contractions, defined by a decrease in the use of this funerary ritual. This paper aims to quantify such phenomenon for the first time by modeling discontinuities in burial practices through kernel density analysis of 1428 radiocarbon (14C) dates from 311 archaeological sites located in Belgium from the Mesolithic to the Middle Ages. Despite possible taphonomic and sampling biases, the results highlight the existence of periods with a large uptake of cremation rite followed by periods of contractions; such discontinuities took place in correlation with changes in the socio-economical structure of local communities, as, for example, during the later Middle Bronze Age and at the end of the Roman Period., SCOPUS: cp.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The adsorption of phosphate on hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) was studied in solutions containing major seawater ions (Na+, Mg2+, Cl−, SO42−, Ca2+, K+) at pHs 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5. The presence of these ions promotes phosphate adsorption and the process is electrostatic in nature. Despite this electrostatic force, the precipitation of hydroxyapatite in the presence of Ca2+ at pH 8.5 also plays an important role in the removal of phosphates from the dissolved phase. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra support that phosphate adsorption on HFO surface can be attributed to inner sphere complexes with the formation of bidentate complexes (FeO)2PO2 in the presence of main seawater ions at pH = 8.5. The results of EDS clearly indicated that Fe-P-Ca complexes, Fe-P-Mg, or other phosphate-bridged ternary complexes were not formed during adsorption in the presence of NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, Na2SO4 and MgCl2. This observation differs somewhat from that the typical explanation used to describe the phosphate adsorption mechanism on HFO. The CD-MUSIC model makes it possible to describe this adsorption mechanism of phosphate on HFO in the presence of 0.7 M NaCl, and these outcomes are coherent with the experimental FTIR and EDS results., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

This paper presents the results of a study using strontium, oxygen and carbon isotopes, strontium concentrations, infrared analyses and radiocarbon dating to investigate human mobility and landscape use as seen in individuals from the Neolithic court tomb of Parknabinnia, Co. Clare, Ireland. Taking advantage of the recent demonstration that it is possible to obtain reliable in vivo strontium isotope signals from calcined bone, we compare measurements on cremated bone (n = 4) and uncremated tooth enamel (n = 4). The results suggest that two out of four uncremated enamel samples can be considered ‘local’ while the other two, and all four cremated bone samples, represent ‘non-local’ individuals. New radiocarbon dates obtained on two of the cremated bone fragments place them in the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age, contrasting with the Neolithic dates previously obtained on the uncremated remains, demonstrating re-use of the monument. Assuming that our small sample is representative, it seems that the court tomb was used for burial by both ‘locals’ and ‘non-locals’ during the Neolithic and predominantly by ‘non-locals’ in the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age. This stands in contrast to the nearby Early Neolithic portal tomb of Poulnabrone where only one individual (of 17 analysed) appears to be an ‘outsider’. Our results suggest that, even within a small region, mobility and landscape use may have differed significantly within the Neolithic and also between the Neolithic and the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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If post-cremation life histories of cremains and cremation-related deposits can be readily investigated as they refer to the last handling of the deceased, the treatment of the corpse during the burning act itself is little addressed by textual sources and often discussed in anthropological studies. Among the topics discussed are questions whether the individuals were buried clothed or not and criteria for evaluating indirectly the wealth of deceased or their social statue in the past. Here we aim to identify, through stable isotope evidences (δ13C, δ18O) on calcined bones, if the deceased was buried shoed or not, as the shoes are likely one of the most resistant clothing items to fire and might represent a proxy to discuss the presence of any garments items inside the burial. For this, we have carried out experimental cremations with shoed and unshoed pig feet (n=12) in outdoors pyres in Belgium. It is hypothesized that foot bones encased in shoes might experience heating conditions characteristic to confined-space cremation (low oxygen availability, poorly ventilated). These heating conditions could be related to the fact of presence or absence of shoes. Recent advances in biogeochemical techniques present a unique opportunity to finally be able to characterize the cremation and bring a new breakthrough in our current archaeo-anthropological knowledge of the burning act itself through time., info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

If post-cremation life histories of cremains and cremation-related deposits can be readily investigated as they refer to the last handling of the deceased, the treatment of the corpse during the burning act itself is little addressed by textual sources thus is at present extremely difficult to define. Recent advances in biogeochemical techniques present a unique opportunity to finally be able to characterize the act of cremation itself and bring a new breakthrough in our current archaeo-anthropological knowledge of the burning act itself through time. In this paper, we will focus on the possibility to detect the presence of garments worn by the deceased through stable isotope evidences (δ13C, δ18O) on calcined bones. More specifically, we will investigate whether the deceased was shoed or not, as the latter is likely one of the clothing items most resistant to fire and might represent a proxy to discuss whether an individual was dressed or not. It is hypothesized that foot bones encased in shoes might experience heating conditions characteristic to confined-space cremation (low oxygen availability, poorly ventilated). These heating conditions could differ from those without shoes. To do this, experimental cremations with shoed and unshoed pig feet have been performed in Belgium. Results from these experiments will be presented., info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

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