A Late Bronze Age foreign elite? Investigating mobility patterns at Seddin, Germany

Area of Science:

• Archaeological Science
• Isotope Geochemistry
• Bioarchaeology

Background:

• Late Bronze Age Europe (ca. 11th-8th century BCE) featured extensive trade networks.
• The Seddin region in Brandenburg, Germany, is considered a key hub within these networks.
• Understanding the role of population movement in facilitating exchange remains crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the origins of individuals buried in Late Bronze Age sites near Seddin.
• To assess the extent of population mobility and its impact on exchange networks.
• To establish a reliable strontium (Sr) isotope baseline for the Seddin region.

Main Methods:

• Sr isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr) of 29 cremated petrous bones from five burial sites.
• Analysis of modern environmental samples (water, soil, plants) and archaeological soil samples for baseline establishment.
• Comparison of human bone Sr isotope signatures with the established local baseline.

Main Results:

• Modern water and archaeological soil samples are suitable proxies for a local Sr isotope baseline.
• Modern soil and plant samples showed potential contamination, limiting their use for past mobility studies.
• The majority of individuals (20 out of 22) analyzed from elite burials exhibited non-local Sr isotope signatures.

Conclusions:

• Complex mobility patterns characterized the elite community around Seddin during the Late Bronze Age.
• Significant non-local presence in burial sites suggests extensive population movement and integration.
• Sr isotope analysis provides crucial insights into the social dynamics and interconnectedness of Late Bronze Age societies.