Multi‐isotope provenancing of archaeological skeletons including cremations in a reference area of the European Alps

Grupe, Gisela; Klaut, Dominika; Mauder, Markus; Kröger, Peer; Lang, Amei; Mayr, Christoph; Söllner, Frank

doi:10.1002/rcm.8218

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. Relevant to the present study, several new methodologies have been developed, which increase the accuracy of sex estimations [37][38][39][40][41], extend strontium isotope analyses to cremated materials, and verify the reliability of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr data on the petrous portion of the temporal bone [42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49]. In our study, we apply these new osteological methods and sampling strategies for the analysis of strontium isotopes to a sample of 29 burials from Szigetszentmiklós-Ü rgehegy, one of the most important and best-preserved cemeteries of the Late Nagyrév and Vatya culture.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 87%

Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya ‘urnfield’ and the life history of a high-status woman

et al. 2021

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In this study, we present osteological and strontium isotope data of 29 individuals (26 cremations and 3 inhumations) from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of the largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries in Hungary. The site is located in the northern part of the Csepel Island (a few kilometres south of Budapest) and was in use between c. 2150 and 1500 BC, a period that saw the rise, the apogee, and, ultimately, the collapse of the Vatya culture in the plains of Central Hungary. The main aim of our study was to identify variation in mobility patterns among individuals of different sex/age/social status and among individuals treated with different burial rites using strontium isotope analysis. Changes in funerary rituals in Hungary have traditionally been associated with the crises of the tell cultures and the introgression of newcomers from the area of the Tumulus Culture in Central Europe around 1500 BC. Our results show only slight discrepancies between inhumations and cremations, as well as differences between adult males and females. The case of the richly furnished grave n. 241 is of particular interest. The urn contains the cremated bones of an adult woman and two 7 to 8-month-old foetuses, as well as remarkably prestigious goods. Using 87Sr/86Sr analysis of different dental and skeletal remains, which form in different life stages, we were able to reconstruct the potential movements of this high-status woman over almost her entire lifetime, from birth to her final days. Our study confirms the informative potential of strontium isotopes analyses performed on different cremated tissues. From a more general, historical perspective, our results reinforce the idea that exogamic practices were common in Bronze Age Central Europe and that kinship ties among high-rank individuals were probably functional in establishing or strengthening interconnections, alliances, and economic partnerships.

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Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 87%

Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya ‘urnfield’ and the life history of a high-status woman

et al. 2021

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“…This might, however, usually not be a necessary step when applying the feature ranking method, but serves as a validation tool for implementing the entropy‐based feature ranking described in this paper. Nevertheless, GMM cluster analysis was validated as a useful tool for the interpretation of multi‐isotope datasets, previously …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We would, however, like to emphasize that a multi‐isotope approach is (usually) clearly recommended wherever possible. Recent studies demonstrated that the analysis and interpretation of multiple isotopic systems result in a gain of information compared with common bivariate analyse . Consequently, the exclusion of certain isotopic systems from analysis will result in a certain loss of information.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, GMM cluster analysis was validated as a useful tool for the interpretation of multi-isotope datasets, previously. [4][5][6]8,31,32 Finally, it is important to mention that our feature ranking method cannot be applied to studies where the underlying research question does not assume different groups (clusters) in the dataset. This is because the entropy would be lowest for a well-structured dataset with at least two clusters, but high for an unstructured dataset lacking any clusters.…”

Section: Applicability Of the Entropy-based Feature Ranking Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Multi‐dimensional isotope analyses using modern data mining methods are capable of interpreting isotopic data in a more detailed way than common bivariate analyses . For example, cluster analysis of isotopic data of fish from Haithabu and Schleswig using Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) clustering (see 1.3 and 2.3) not only separated fish according to their habitat (freshwater, brackish, marine) but also revealed a fourth cluster of probably non‐local fish from a colder environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Which isotopes should we choose? Entropy‐based feature ranking enables evaluation of the information content of stable isotopes in archaeofaunal material

Göhring

Mauder

Kröger

et al. 2020

Rapid Comm Mass Spectrometry

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Rationale Methods for multi‐isotope analyses are gaining in importance in anthropological, archaeological, and ecological studies. However, when material is limited (i.e., archaeological remains), it is obligatory to decide a priori which isotopic system(s) could be omitted without losing information. Methods We introduce a method that enables feature ranking of isotopic systems on the basis of distance‐based entropy. The feature ranking method is evaluated using Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) clustering as well as a cluster validation index (“trace index”). Results Combinations of features resulting in high entropy values are less important than those resulting in low entropy values structuring the dataset into more distinct clusters. Therefore, this method allows us to rank isotopic systems. The isotope ranking depends on the analyzed dataset, for example, consisting of terrestrial mammals or fish. The feature ranking results were verified by cluster analysis. Conclusions Entropy‐based feature ranking can be used to a priori select the isotopic systems that should be analyzed. Consequently, we strongly suggest that this method should be applied if only limited material is available.

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Isotope Analysis from Cremated Remains

Snoeck

2023

Burnt Human Remains

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Multi‐isotope provenancing of archaeological skeletons including cremations in a reference area of the European Alps

Abstract: Gaussian mixture clustering is a promising method for the interpretation of multi-isotopic fingerprints aiming at detecting and quantifying migration and trade.

Cited by 13 publications

References 50 publications

Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya ‘urnfield’ and the life history of a high-status woman

Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya ‘urnfield’ and the life history of a high-status woman

Which isotopes should we choose? Entropy‐based feature ranking enables evaluation of the information content of stable isotopes in archaeofaunal material

Isotope Analysis from Cremated Remains

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