Strontium isotopes and concentrations in cremated bones suggest an increased salt consumption in Gallo-Roman diet
Sarah Dalle, Christophe Snoeck, Amanda Sengeløv, Kévin Salesse, Marta Hlad, Rica Annaert, Tom Boonants, Mathieu Boudin, Giacomo Capuzzo, Carina T. Gerritzen, Steven Goderis, Charlotte Sabaux, Elisavet Stamataki, Martine Vercauteren, Barbara Veselka, Eugène Warmenbol, Guy De Mulder
Abstract
Abstract 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 ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) 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 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (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 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (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 87 Sr/ 86 Sr for palaeomobility studies in populations with high salt consumption.