A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) to assess human mobility dynamics in the Lower Germanic limes borderscape (40–470 CE)

Lisette M. Kootker; Henk M. van der Velde; Stijn Heeren

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103520

A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) to assess human mobility dynamics in the Lower Germanic limes borderscape (40–470 CE)

Lisette M. Kootker^*, Henk M. van der Velde, Stijn Heeren

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The intention of the Roman administration to develop the Lower Germanic limes region into a military zone must have been a catalyst for (long-distance) human and faunal mobility in the course of the 1st century CE. A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) has been used on a total of 21 cremations (bone and pars petrosa) and 21 inhumations (dental elements) from the Dutch Lower Germanic limes borderscape region to study the demographic dynamics between 150 and 500 CE. The dental enamel ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr range from 0.7086 to 0.7158. The variability in Sr within the cremated remains is more limited: 0.7089 to 0.7103. The δ¹⁸O_PDB data range from −7.6 ‰ to −4.3 ‰. All but one individual dating to the Early and Middle Roman period exhibit Sr ratios that are consistent with the expected local (0.7088–0.7092) or regional (up to ± 0.7110) ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr signature. The population dynamics drastically change in the subsequent Late Roman period. Fifty percent (6/12) of the investigated Late Roman population (partially) spent part of their childhood away from the Dutch river system or even the Batavian civitas. The cremated long bone ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr possibly point towards residential stability during the last few years of life: all data are compatible with the expected regional Sr signature. The δ¹³C_PDB data vary between −16.0 ‰ and −8.7 ‰: the latter was indicative of a diet rich in C₄ food, which was not a staple in the Roman diet in the Lower Germanic limes region. Although more research is essential to better understand the population dynamics in the limes borderscape, it is clear that the isotope data reflect the political-military status of the Lower Germanic limes region, especially during the transition to a militarized zone in the later Roman period. Identifying possible regions of provenance is a challenge. Another proxy for provenance, namely the cultural artefacts associated with the excavated people, did not show a specific relationship between cultural background and geographical origin.

Original language	English
Article number	103520
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports
Volume	44
Early online date	30 Jun 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103520
Publication status	Published - Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Susan Verdegaal-Warmerdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for analysing the C-O samples. April Pijpelink (ADC ArcheoProjecten) kindly selected and took the samples. LK is grateful to Vera Hoogland (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for all her help with this project. This work was financially supported by the ‘Tiel-Medel als sleutelsite voor vernieuwend onderzoek naar migratie en ethnogenese in de Romeinse frontier’ project, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA, 2018, project number: 342-60-004) thematic programme ‘Future Directions in Dutch Archaeological Research’ (project number AIB.16.003) and the province of Gelderland. LMK and SH were also financially supported by ‘Constructing the Limes: Employing citizen science to understand borders and border systems from the Roman period until today’ (C-Limes), funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA, 2021-2026, project number: NWA.1292.19.364). The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers whose comments helped improve and clarify this manuscript.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s)

Keywords

Cultural identity
Germania inferior – Isotope analysis
Human mobility
Roman limes

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103520

Persistent URL (handle)

Copy link address

Cite this

@article{a86ab322facc4aa5bda7e58ac8e802da,

title = "A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) to assess human mobility dynamics in the Lower Germanic limes borderscape (40–470 CE)",

abstract = "The intention of the Roman administration to develop the Lower Germanic limes region into a military zone must have been a catalyst for (long-distance) human and faunal mobility in the course of the 1st century CE. A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) has been used on a total of 21 cremations (bone and pars petrosa) and 21 inhumations (dental elements) from the Dutch Lower Germanic limes borderscape region to study the demographic dynamics between 150 and 500 CE. The dental enamel 87Sr/86Sr range from 0.7086 to 0.7158. The variability in Sr within the cremated remains is more limited: 0.7089 to 0.7103. The δ18OPDB data range from −7.6 ‰ to −4.3 ‰. All but one individual dating to the Early and Middle Roman period exhibit Sr ratios that are consistent with the expected local (0.7088–0.7092) or regional (up to ± 0.7110) 87Sr/86Sr signature. The population dynamics drastically change in the subsequent Late Roman period. Fifty percent (6/12) of the investigated Late Roman population (partially) spent part of their childhood away from the Dutch river system or even the Batavian civitas. The cremated long bone 87Sr/86Sr possibly point towards residential stability during the last few years of life: all data are compatible with the expected regional Sr signature. The δ13CPDB data vary between −16.0 ‰ and −8.7 ‰: the latter was indicative of a diet rich in C4 food, which was not a staple in the Roman diet in the Lower Germanic limes region. Although more research is essential to better understand the population dynamics in the limes borderscape, it is clear that the isotope data reflect the political-military status of the Lower Germanic limes region, especially during the transition to a militarized zone in the later Roman period. Identifying possible regions of provenance is a challenge. Another proxy for provenance, namely the cultural artefacts associated with the excavated people, did not show a specific relationship between cultural background and geographical origin.",

keywords = "Cultural identity, Germania inferior – Isotope analysis, Human mobility, Roman limes",

author = "Kootker, {Lisette M.} and {van der Velde}, {Henk M.} and Stijn Heeren",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Susan Verdegaal-Warmerdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for analysing the C-O samples. April Pijpelink (ADC ArcheoProjecten) kindly selected and took the samples. LK is grateful to Vera Hoogland (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for all her help with this project. This work was financially supported by the {\textquoteleft}Tiel-Medel als sleutelsite voor vernieuwend onderzoek naar migratie en ethnogenese in de Romeinse frontier{\textquoteright} project, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA, 2018, project number: 342-60-004) thematic programme {\textquoteleft}Future Directions in Dutch Archaeological Research{\textquoteright} (project number AIB.16.003) and the province of Gelderland. LMK and SH were also financially supported by {\textquoteleft}Constructing the Limes: Employing citizen science to understand borders and border systems from the Roman period until today{\textquoteright} (C-Limes), funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA, 2021-2026, project number: NWA.1292.19.364). The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers whose comments helped improve and clarify this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s)",

year = "2022",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103520",

language = "English",

volume = "44",

pages = "1--10",

journal = "Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports",

issn = "2352-409X",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) to assess human mobility dynamics in the Lower Germanic limes borderscape (40–470 CE)

AU - Kootker, Lisette M.

AU - van der Velde, Henk M.

AU - Heeren, Stijn

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Susan Verdegaal-Warmerdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for analysing the C-O samples. April Pijpelink (ADC ArcheoProjecten) kindly selected and took the samples. LK is grateful to Vera Hoogland (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) for all her help with this project. This work was financially supported by the ‘Tiel-Medel als sleutelsite voor vernieuwend onderzoek naar migratie en ethnogenese in de Romeinse frontier’ project, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA, 2018, project number: 342-60-004) thematic programme ‘Future Directions in Dutch Archaeological Research’ (project number AIB.16.003) and the province of Gelderland. LMK and SH were also financially supported by ‘Constructing the Limes: Employing citizen science to understand borders and border systems from the Roman period until today’ (C-Limes), funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) as part of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA, 2021-2026, project number: NWA.1292.19.364). The authors thank the two anonymous reviewers whose comments helped improve and clarify this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)

PY - 2022/8

Y1 - 2022/8

N2 - The intention of the Roman administration to develop the Lower Germanic limes region into a military zone must have been a catalyst for (long-distance) human and faunal mobility in the course of the 1st century CE. A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) has been used on a total of 21 cremations (bone and pars petrosa) and 21 inhumations (dental elements) from the Dutch Lower Germanic limes borderscape region to study the demographic dynamics between 150 and 500 CE. The dental enamel 87Sr/86Sr range from 0.7086 to 0.7158. The variability in Sr within the cremated remains is more limited: 0.7089 to 0.7103. The δ18OPDB data range from −7.6 ‰ to −4.3 ‰. All but one individual dating to the Early and Middle Roman period exhibit Sr ratios that are consistent with the expected local (0.7088–0.7092) or regional (up to ± 0.7110) 87Sr/86Sr signature. The population dynamics drastically change in the subsequent Late Roman period. Fifty percent (6/12) of the investigated Late Roman population (partially) spent part of their childhood away from the Dutch river system or even the Batavian civitas. The cremated long bone 87Sr/86Sr possibly point towards residential stability during the last few years of life: all data are compatible with the expected regional Sr signature. The δ13CPDB data vary between −16.0 ‰ and −8.7 ‰: the latter was indicative of a diet rich in C4 food, which was not a staple in the Roman diet in the Lower Germanic limes region. Although more research is essential to better understand the population dynamics in the limes borderscape, it is clear that the isotope data reflect the political-military status of the Lower Germanic limes region, especially during the transition to a militarized zone in the later Roman period. Identifying possible regions of provenance is a challenge. Another proxy for provenance, namely the cultural artefacts associated with the excavated people, did not show a specific relationship between cultural background and geographical origin.

AB - The intention of the Roman administration to develop the Lower Germanic limes region into a military zone must have been a catalyst for (long-distance) human and faunal mobility in the course of the 1st century CE. A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) has been used on a total of 21 cremations (bone and pars petrosa) and 21 inhumations (dental elements) from the Dutch Lower Germanic limes borderscape region to study the demographic dynamics between 150 and 500 CE. The dental enamel 87Sr/86Sr range from 0.7086 to 0.7158. The variability in Sr within the cremated remains is more limited: 0.7089 to 0.7103. The δ18OPDB data range from −7.6 ‰ to −4.3 ‰. All but one individual dating to the Early and Middle Roman period exhibit Sr ratios that are consistent with the expected local (0.7088–0.7092) or regional (up to ± 0.7110) 87Sr/86Sr signature. The population dynamics drastically change in the subsequent Late Roman period. Fifty percent (6/12) of the investigated Late Roman population (partially) spent part of their childhood away from the Dutch river system or even the Batavian civitas. The cremated long bone 87Sr/86Sr possibly point towards residential stability during the last few years of life: all data are compatible with the expected regional Sr signature. The δ13CPDB data vary between −16.0 ‰ and −8.7 ‰: the latter was indicative of a diet rich in C4 food, which was not a staple in the Roman diet in the Lower Germanic limes region. Although more research is essential to better understand the population dynamics in the limes borderscape, it is clear that the isotope data reflect the political-military status of the Lower Germanic limes region, especially during the transition to a militarized zone in the later Roman period. Identifying possible regions of provenance is a challenge. Another proxy for provenance, namely the cultural artefacts associated with the excavated people, did not show a specific relationship between cultural background and geographical origin.

KW - Cultural identity

KW - Germania inferior – Isotope analysis

KW - Human mobility

KW - Roman limes

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85133272545&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85133272545&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103520

DO - 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103520

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85133272545

SN - 2352-409X

VL - 44

SP - 1

EP - 10

JO - Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

JF - Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

M1 - 103520

ER -

A triple isotope approach (Sr-O-C) to assess human mobility dynamics in the Lower Germanic limes borderscape (40–470 CE)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this