Tracing residential mobility during the Merovingian period: An isotopic analysis of human remains from the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany

Schuh, Christine; Makarewicz, Cheryl A.

doi:10.1002/ajpa.23017

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…The use of human δ 18 O values to establish scales of movement has been most commonly used in temperate European environments where meteoric waters exhibit low seasonal variation in oxygen isotopes but express moderate geospatial isotopic distinction at regional scales (e.g. 5‰) [ 47 , 93 , 94 ]. The lack of systematic relationship between oxygen and strontium isotope values visible in Xiongnu elites from BGC is likely due to equifinality (i.e., bioavailable strontium ratios similar to those observed for BGC), but different meteoric water δ 18 O values, characterizing other regions of Mongolia, pronounced seasonality in meteoric water oxygen isotopes for the Mongolian steppe, and/or diverse oxygen isotope compositions of imbibed liquids.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local circulation of elites punctuated by transregional mobility enabled steppe political consolidation in the Xiongnu nomadic state

Makarewicz,

Winter-Schuh,

Jackson

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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The Xiongnu polity (ca. 200 BC– 150 AD) emerged out of indigenous community-centered socio-political structures to forge a powerful state that commanded the Mongolian steppe and beyond. Underpinned by a highly mobile pastoralist population, accustomed to seasonally rhythmic moves and embedded in an equestrian culture that facilitated rapid transport over long-distances, it remains unclear precisely how the movement of commoners, local aristocrats and regional elites abetted the formation and organization of Xiongnu state structures. Here, we evaluate Xiongnu movement and dietary intake through multi-stable isotopic analyses of tooth enamel from directly dated Xiongnu intermediate elites recovered from the mortuary center of Baga Gazaryn Chuluu–a prominent granite outcrop set in the Gobi Desert. Carbon isotope (δ13C) analysis indicates millet was consumed by some individuals, but whether or not this C4 cultivar contributed to the diets of most elites remains ambiguous in this C3/C4 desert-steppe environment. The effectiveness of oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to establish mobility appears much reduced in steppe environments, where geospatially sensitive information appears disrupted by extraordinary seasonality in meteoric water oxygen isotopes, pronounced oxygen isotopic variation in potential drinking water sources, and culturally mediated drinking practices. Most revealing, strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) indicate circulation of local elites around this central place and beyond, a mobility format that helped leaders cement their own position through political consolidation of spatially dispersed mobile pastoralist communities. The consistent presence at Baga Gazaryn Chuluu of extra-local intermediate elites also points toward the importance of transregional mobility in binding together the Xiongnu polity over the vast distances of the eastern steppe.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local circulation of elites punctuated by transregional mobility enabled steppe political consolidation in the Xiongnu nomadic state

Makarewicz,

Winter-Schuh,

Jackson

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…By attempting to characterise a 'local range' of δ 18 O values in a stationary community, bioarchaeologists seek to quantify the sources of 'noise' introduced by differences in environment, cultural practice and physiology explored above. This is most commonly attempted by characterising the variation in local δ 18 Oew that is thought to be equivalent with drinking water consumed (Chenery et al, 2010;Dupras and Schwarcz, 2001;Schuh and Makarewicz, 2016;Ugan et al, 2012), or by combining local modern day δ 18 Oprecip values with…”

Section: Human Residential Mobility and Life Historiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxygen isotopes in bioarchaeology: Principles and applications, challenges and opportunities

Pederzani

Britton

2019

Earth-Science Reviews

182

161

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Oxygen isotope analyses of skeletal remains (18 O/ 16 O, δ 18 O) are a powerful tool for exploring major themes in bioarchaeology (the study of biological archaeological remains) and can aid in the reconstruction of past human-environment interactions, socio-cultural decisions and individual life histories. Making use of the preserved animal and human tooth and bone commonly found at archaeological sites, applications include the reconstruction of palaeoclimate and palaeoseasonality; animal husbandry and management practices; human and animal lifetime mobility and provenance; and cultural practices such as breastfeeding, weaning and even past culinary preparation techniques. With a range of other uses across the natural, physical, chemical and biological sciences, oxygen isotope analyses are also highly cross-disciplinary, with developments in the field of isotope bioarchaeology potentially feeding into other fields and vice-versa. The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of the biogeochemical background of oxygen isotope systematics from the water cycle to human and animal skeletal tissues for archaeologists and other scientists, and to explore how these have been utilised in terrestrial bioarchaeological research. In this way, we aim to provide an overview resource for stable isotope analysts in archaeology and the wider earth science community, as well as for archaeological practitioners and consumers interested in specific applications. By providing a summary of fundamental isotope mechanics alongside a review of recent developments in the field, we hope to highlight the potential of oxygen isotope bioarchaeology to not only reveal environmental and ecological aspects of the past relevant to human groups using archaeological materials, but also to illuminate past human decisions and behaviours. Current limitations and caveats of the approaches used are also explored.

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“…The method is frequently applied to identify human individuals or animals who grew up in an area with geological conditions that differed from those of the location where their mortuary remains were found. The distinction among local and non-local individuals provides the basis to evaluate the importance and nature of human mobility and to address questions regarding residential systems and mechanisms behind the distribution of economic and cultural traditions [30][31][32][33][34].…”

Section: Strontium Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Coalescing traditions—Coalescing people: Community formation in Pannonia after the decline of the Roman Empire

et al. 2020

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The decline of the Roman rule caused significant political instability and led to the emergence of various 'Barbarian' powers. While the names of the involved groups appeared in written sources, it is largely unknown how these changes affected the daily lives of the people during the 5 th century AD. Did late Roman traditions persist, did new customs emerge, and did both amalgamate into new cultural expressions? A prime area to investigate these population and settlement historical changes is the Carpathian Basin (Hungary). Particularly, we studied archaeological and anthropological evidence, as well as radiogenic and stable isotope ratios of strontium, carbon, and nitrogen of human remains from 96 graves at the cemetery of Mö zs-Icsei dűlő. Integrated data analysis suggests that most members of the founder generation at the site exhibited burial practises of late Antique traditions, even though they were heterogeneous regarding their places of origin and dietary habits. Furthermore, the isotope data disclosed a nonlocal group of people with similar dietary habits. According to the archaeological evidence, they joined the community a few decades after the founder generation and followed mainly foreign traditions with artificial skull modification as their most prominent characteristic. Moreover, individuals with modified skulls and late Antique grave attributes attest to deliberate cultural amalgamation, whereas burials of largely different isotope ratios underline the recipient habitus of the community. The integration of archaeological and bioarchaeological information at the individual level discloses the complex coalescence of people and traditions during the 5 th century.

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Tracing residential mobility during the Merovingian period: An isotopic analysis of human remains from the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany

Abstract: The isotopic evidence indicates that residential mobility was important and new settlers, most likely from outside the Merovingian core area, contributed to the settlement of the northern Upper Rhine Valley during the sixth century AD.

Cited by 12 publications

References 72 publications

Local circulation of elites punctuated by transregional mobility enabled steppe political consolidation in the Xiongnu nomadic state

Local circulation of elites punctuated by transregional mobility enabled steppe political consolidation in the Xiongnu nomadic state

Oxygen isotopes in bioarchaeology: Principles and applications, challenges and opportunities

Coalescing traditions—Coalescing people: Community formation in Pannonia after the decline of the Roman Empire

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