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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., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Rationale: Strontium isotope analysis can be applied to the calcined human otic capsule in the petrous part (pars petrosa ossis temporalis; PP) to gain information on childhood mobility in archaeological and forensic contexts. However, only a thin layer of the otic capsule, the inner cortex, demonstrates virtually no remodelling. This paper proposes an improved sampling method for the accurate sampling of the inner cortex of the otic capsule to ensure that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios related to early childhood are obtained., Methods: Calcined rib and diaphyseal fragments and PP from ten cremation deposits are sampled for strontium isotope analysis, whereby our improved sampling strategy is applied to sample the inner cortex of the otic capsule. This allows inter- and intraskeletal 87 Sr/ 86 Sr comparison within an Iron Age collection from Oss, The Netherlands., Results: Forty percent (4/10) of the calcined PP that were evaluated for this study show marked differences in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr (0.00035-0.00065) between the inner cortex and the bone sample surrounding this layer, the external cortex that has higher remodelling rates. Differences in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr between various skeletal elements also aided in the identification of the minimum number of individuals., Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the problematic nature of the external cortex and stresses the need for a precise sampling method of the correct areas of the otic capsule. This can only be obtained by cutting the calcined PP midmodiolarly to enable adequate combustion degree assessment, and the correct identification and sampling of the inner cortex of the otic capsule., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Strontium isotopes are used in archaeology, ecology, forensics, and other disciplines to study the origin of artefacts, humans, animals and food items. Strontium in animal and human tissues such as bone and teeth originates from food and drink consumed during life, leaving an isotopic signal corresponding to their geographical origin (i.e. where the plants grew, the animals grazed and the drinking water passed through). To contextualise the measurements obtained directly on animal and human remains, it is necessary to have a sound baseline of the isotopic variation of biologically available strontium in the landscape. In general, plants represent the main source of strontium for humans and animals as they usually contain much higher strontium concentrations than animal products (meat and milk) or drinking water. The observed difference between the strontium isotope composition of geological bedrock, soils and plants from the same locality warrants direct measurement of plants to create a reliable baseline. Here we present the first baseline of the biologically available strontium isotope composition for the island of Ireland based on 228 measurements on plants from 140 distinct locations. The isoscape shows significant variation in strontium isotope composition between different areas of Ireland with values as low as 0.7067 for the basalt outcrops in County Antrim and values of up to 0.7164 in the Mourne Mountains. This variability confirms the potential for studying mobility and landscape use of past human and animal populations in Ireland. Furthermore, in some cases, large differences were observed between different types of plants from the same location, highlighting the need to measure more than one plant sample per location for the creation of BASr baselines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Crown Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cremated human remains from Stonehenge provide direct evidence on the life of those few select individuals buried at this iconic Neolithic monument. The practice of cremation has, however, precluded the application of strontium isotope analysis of tooth enamel as the standard chemical approach to study their origin. New developments in strontium isotopic analysis of cremated bone reveal that at least 10 of the 25 cremated individuals analysed did not spend their lives on the Wessex chalk on which the monument is found. Combined with the archaeological evidence, we suggest that their most plausible origin lies in west Wales, the source of the bluestones erected in the early stage of the monument's construction. These results emphasise the importance of inter-regional connections involving the movement of both materials and people in the construction and use of Stonehenge.

Objectives: As many individuals were cremated in Neolithic and Bronze Age Ireland, they have not featured in investigations of individual mobility using strontium isotope analysis. Here, we build on recent experiments demonstrating excellent preservation of biogenic (87) Sr/(86) Sr in calcined bone to explore mobility in prehistoric Northern Ireland., Materials and Methods: A novel method of strontium isotope analysis is applied to calcined bone alongside measurements on tooth enamel to human remains from five Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Northern Ireland. We systematically sampled modern vegetation around each site to characterize biologically available strontium, and from this calculated expected values for humans consuming foods taken from within 1, 5, 10 and 20 Km catchments. This provides a more nuanced way of assessing human use of the landscape and mobility than the 'local' vs. 'non-local' dichotomy that is often employed., Results: The results of this study 1) provide further support for the reliability of strontium isotope analysis on calcined bone, and 2) demonstrate that it is possible to identify isotopic differences between individuals buried at the same site, with some consuming food grown locally (within 1-5 Km) while others clearly consumed food from up to 50 Km away from their burial place., Discussion: Hints of patterning emerge in spite of small sample numbers. At Ballynahatty, for instance, those represented by unburnt remains appear to have consumed food growing locally, while those represented by cremated remains did not. Furthermore, it appears that some individuals from Ballynahatty, Annaghmare and Clontygora either moved in the last few years of their life or their cremated remains were brought to the site. These results offer new insights into the choice behind coterminous cremation and inhumation rites in the Neolithic. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:397-413, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Rationale: Strontium isotopes ((87) Sr/(86) Sr) are used in archaeological and forensic science as markers of residence or mobility because they reflect the local geological substrate. Currently, tooth enamel is considered to be the most reliable tissue, but it rarely survives heating so that in cremations only calcined bone fragments survive. We set out to test the proposition that calcined bone might prove resistant to diagenesis, given its relatively high crystallinity, as the ability to measure in vivo (87) Sr/(86) Sr from calcined bone would greatly extend application to places and periods in which cremation was the dominant mortuary practice, or where unburned bone and enamel do not survive., Methods: Tooth enamel and calcined bone samples were exposed to a (87) Sr-spiked solution for up to 1 year. Samples were removed after various intervals, and attempts were made to remove the contamination using acetic acid washes and ultrasonication. (87) Sr/(86) Sr was measured before and after pre-treatment on a Nu Plasma multi-collector induced coupled plasma mass spectrometer using NBS987 as a standard., Results: The strontium isotopic ratios of all samples immersed in the spiked solution were strongly modified showing that significant amounts of strontium had been adsorbed or incorporated. After pre-treatment the enamel samples still contained significant amounts of (87) Sr-enriched contamination while the calcined bone fragments did not., Conclusions: The results of the artificial enrichment experiment demonstrate that calcined bone is more resistant to post-mortem exchange than tooth enamel, and that in vivo strontium isotopic ratios are retained in calcined bone., (Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Megalithism has been repetitively tied to specialised herding economies in Iberia, particularly in the mountainous areas of the Basque Country. Legaire Sur, in the uplands of Álava region, is a recently excavated passage tomb (megalithic monument) that held a minimum number of 25 individuals. This study analysed the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium isotope ratios of 18 individuals, in a multi-tissue sampling study (successional tooth enamel sampling, incremental dentine sampling, and bulk bone collagen sampling). The results provide a high-resolution reconstruction of individual mobility, weaning, and dietary lifeways of those inhumed at the site. Oxygen and strontium isotope analysis suggest all individuals come from a similar, likely local, geological region, aside from one biological female who presents a notably different geographical birthplace, weaning, and dietary life history than the rest of the burial population. Comparisons to other nearby megalithic sites (∼35km as the crow flies), located in a valley area, reveal that, whilst sharing the same mortuary practices, these individuals held notably different lifeways. They highlight notably earlier ages of cessation of nursing (≤2 years at Legaire Sur vs. ≥4 years in other megalithic tombs), and a greater dependence on pastoralism than previously observed in lowland megalithic graves. The results from Legaire Sur reveal the complexity of the Late Neolithic-Chalcolithic transition in north-central Iberia, categorising yet another separate socio-economic group with distinctive lifeways inhabiting the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site of San Valentino in San Vito al Tagliamento is one of the main urnfield cemeteries in northeastern Italy. Archaeological excavations carried out in the seventies brought to light a cremation cemetery consisting of mainly urn graves with pottery and metal artefacts as grave goods. These materials suggest that the individuals buried in San Valentino were not an isolated local community but had intense contacts with other north-Adriatic communities, in particular with the neighbouring Veneto area, as suggested by the close similarity of the biconical vessels with those recovered in the graves of Este. This paper provides the first osteological study of a preserved sample of individuals buried at San Valentino and uses an innovative multi-proxy approach to refine the chronology of the site through radiocarbon dating of bone apatite, investigate human mobility using strontium isotopes on calcined human remains, and reconstruct the funerary practices by combining FTIR-ATR data with carbon and oxygen isotope ratios on cremated bones. The results date the cemetery to the end of the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age, with a sporadic occupation in the fourth century BC. Strontium isotopes and concentrations show the analysed individuals buried at San Valentino were a local community that exploited nearby food resources. Interestingly, variations in cremation conditions were detected between San Valentino and the contemporary sites of Velzeke, Blicquy, Grand Bois, and Herstal, located in Belgium, by using FTIR-ATR and carbon and oxygen isotope data. This multi-proxy approach applied to the study of cremated human remains can open new research possibilities, being potentially extendable to the study of many pre- and proto-historic and historic communities that practised cremation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cremation graves appear in different forms and shapes, from urns to simple pits and from single to plural graves. The challenging nature of highly fragmented cremated human remains renders the identification of multiple individuals within the same cremation grave rather complex. Osteological analyses alone are often insufficient to detect the presence of bone fragments from different individuals as they are small and diagnostic elements are often missing, although, detection of nonadult bone fragments within adult bone assemblages (or the other way around) points to the presence of at least two individuals—one adult and one nonadult—within the same grave. The combination of osteological analyses, radiocarbon dating, and strontium isotope ratios has proven to be particularly powerful. At different Belgian Metal Age sites, this novel multi-disciplinary approach enabled to identify the presence of bone fragments belonging to up to three different individuals within the same cremation grave who were cremated up to several centuries apart. Whether the presence of these two or three individuals in the same grave is intentional (e.g. curation) or not requires more in-depth analyses. This study shows the high level of complexity of cremation burial (intentionally or not) and shows the necessity to carry out all analytical measurements (i.e. radiocarbon dating, infrared, elemental and isotope analyses) on the same bone fragment to ensure the results are related to the same individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burial rites of archaeological populations are frequently interpreted based on cremated remains of the human body and the urn they were deposited in. In comparison to inhumations, information about the deceased is much more limited and dependent on fragmentation, selection of body regions, taphonomic processes, and excavation techniques. So far, little attention has been paid to the context in which urns are buried. In this study, we combined archaeological techniques with anthropology, computed tomography, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geochemistry and isotopic approaches and conducted a detailed analysis on a case study of two Late Bronze Age urns from St. Pölten, Austria (c. 1430 and 1260 cal. BCE). The urns were recovered en-bloc and CT-scanned before the micro-excavation. Osteological and strontium isotope analysis revealed that the cremated remains comprised a young adult female and a child that died at the age of 10–12 years. Both individuals had been subject to physiological stress and were likely local. Animal bones burnt at different temperatures suggested different depositional pathways into the urn and pit as part of the pyre, food offerings, and unintentional settlement debris. Eight wild plant and five crop plant species appeared as part of the local landscape, as food offerings and fire accelerants. Sediment chemistry suggests that pyre remains were deposited around the urns during burial. Multi-element geochemistry, archaeobotany, and zooarchaeology provide insights into the Late Bronze Age environment, the process of cremation, the gathering of bones and final funerary deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The barrow cemetery at Heath Wood, Derbyshire, is the only known Viking cremation cemetery in the British Isles. It dates to the late ninth century and is associated with the over-wintering of the Viking Great Army at nearby Repton in AD 873–4. Only the cremated remains of three humans and of a few animals are still available for research. Using strontium content and isotope ratios of these three people and three animals–a horse, a dog and a possible pig–this paper investigates the individuals' residential origins. The results demonstrate that strontium isotope ratios of one of the adults and the non-adult are compatible with a local origin, while the other adult and all three animals are not. In conjunction with the archaeological context, the strontium isotope ratios indicate that these individuals most likely originated from the area of the Baltic Shield–and that they died soon after arrival in Britain. This discovery constitutes the first solid scientific evidence that Scandinavians crossed the North Sea with horses, dogs and other animals as early as the ninth century AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrary to Brusgaard et al., we believe these constitute, so far, the oldest examples of domesticated animals within a forager context and are definitely older than the dated sheep/goat bone from Hardinxveld. At Bazel all dated aurochs bones (n = 7)[2] are situated in the first half of the 5th millennium cal BC, the youngest one dating to between ca. 4600 and 4500 cal BC (1 sigma). The sheep/goat bones from Bazel do not overlap at all with other sites but form a very distinct group separated by at least 1 to 2‰ from the latter. This particularly holds for the sheep/goat remains from Bazel for which the differences in the carbon values with specimens from other sites in the loess area are too significant to be explained solely by size and/or age differences (Fig. [Extracted from the article]

Geochemical mapping of biosphere variation has wide application to geological, environmental, forensic and archaeological research. The extent to which trace elements may be used to complement strontium isotopes ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) for biosphere characterisation is unclear and uncertainties exist regarding the most suitable sample media for this purpose. Here, the variation in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and trace elements, with focus on the rare earth elements and yttrium (REE + Y), are measured in soil leachates, vegetation and streamwaters. These independent tracers are employed to define geochemical reservoirs and quantify soil-plant-water interactions in a geologically diverse and archaeologically significant area of Ireland, County (Co.) Meath. This integrated isotope and element approach produces the first combined dataset for this temperate environment. Biological absorption coefficients (BAC) are used to assess bio-uptake of selected elements. The REE + Y exhibited greatest utility in revealing soil parameter controls on bio-uptake, such as reduced availability from preferential retention of Ce on Fe/Mn-oxyhydroxide surfaces, as well as revealing a preferential uptake of Y relative to HREE. High Y/Ho ratios (65.3–465) are exhibited in ash trees ( Fraxinus excelsior L.), regardless of geological setting, indicating a potential species-specific preference. However, aerial portions of ash trees do not directly reflect the REE in the bioavailable portion of the soil, indicating selectivity from the soil reservoir or fractionation during plant uptake and/or intra-plant distribution. Streamwater REE patterns have a consistent and seawater-like pattern probably inherited from marine carbonate bedrock, surficial marine carbonate-derived till, agricultural fertiliser or a combination of all three, and thus were not site lithology diagnostic. By contrast, distinct variation in sources of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr to streamwaters is evident and reflects small-scale differences in underlying bedrock. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr range of vegetation for the study area is 0.7081–0.7130. Soil and streamwater samples collected at proximal locations to the vegetation demonstrated a range of 0.7086–0.7133 for soil leachates and 0.7081 to 0.7107 for streamwaters. Statistically significant (p < .05) differences between the spatial distribution of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in plants and certain underlying bedrock/Quaternary sediment were identified, even in a region without an extreme range in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr values. Careful selection of appropriate soil leaching protocols is necessary for an informative estimate of the natural ranges that exist within the pedosphere, supporting the notion that plant material is the most suitable sample medium for mapping bioavailable Sr. The high degree of spatial variability in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and differences between reservoirs can only be accurately represented by relatively high-density sampling of plants. These data complement both national and European-wide initiatives to produce large-scale 87 Sr/ 86 Sr biosphere maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limestone islands of the Bahamian archipelago provide a challenging environment for human settlement, one that was not taken up until after AD 700. The analysis of human skeletal remains offers new insights into how this challenge was met. A substantial program of AMS 14C dating on pre-Columbian humans (n = 66) provides a robust chronological framework for the period ca. AD 1000–1600, with the latter date suggesting the possible persistence of an indigenous Lucayan presence on the islands for some decades later than previously thought. Associated stable carbon (δ 13C) and nitrogen (δ 15N) isotope analyses imply an early focus on near-shore marine resources that seems to have rapidly led to their local over-exploitation, resulting in a shift towards horticulture based mainly on root crops. The Medieval Warm Period is very likely to have been a factor in the initial settlement of the islands; the impact of the Little Ice Age is less clear, with no marked changes in either δ 13C or δ 15N. Strontium isotope results are consistent with an origin of most individuals within the archipelago, with a limited (but potentially important for maintaining connections) presence of incomers from the Greater Antilles, and perhaps even further afield. Despite the relatively short history of pre-Columbian occupation, Lucayan adaptations to the Bahamian archipelago were dynamic and demonstrate resilience in the face of both human resource depletion and climate change. • Initial settlement of the Bahamian archipelago coincides with the Medieval Warm Period. • Over-exploitation of near-shore resources offset by increased use of terrestrial resources. • Even small human populations can have an impact on 'pristine' environments. • Pre-Columbian Lucayan populations were resilient to these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Belgium plants show 87Sr/86Sr values ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259. • The baseline is based on 604 plant 87Sr/86Sr measurements from 220 locations. • Lithological units have different 87Sr/86Sr distributions (KW-test, p < 0.0001). • All outliers are grass samples, indicating proneness to contamination. • Kriging causes progressive boundaries, not reflecting all rock formation limits. Understanding the spatial distribution of strontium isotopes in plants or other archives within a region is crucial for various fields, including archaeology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensic science. This study aims to create a detailed dynamic strontium isoscape for Belgium through high-density plant sampling, presented in a web application (IsoBel) that serves the mentioned research fields. A total of 540 plant samples (199 locations), representing various species of grass, shrubs, and trees across Belgium were collected and were analysed for their strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) to create a first biologically available strontium map. Sampling sites were selected to cover diverse lithological formations and soil types, ensuring representative coverage of the region's geological heterogeneity, by using a novel high density grid mapping method. Sixty-four previously published plants from 21 locations are also included in this study, bringing the total amount of plant samples used to 604 from 220 locations. The results reveal significant variations in 87Sr/86Sr across Belgium (ranging from 0.7054 to 0.7259), which reflect the underlying lithology and geological processes (tectonics, weathering,...) which shaped the landscape. Although overlapping 87Sr/86Sr is seen across the majority of lithologies, there is a statistically significant difference between the distribution of 87Sr/86Sr values across all different lithological units in Belgium (Kruskal-Wallis test; p < 0.0001). Distinct regional patterns were observed, with higher 87Sr/86Sr in the older geological south-eastern part of Belgium, compared to the younger north-western parts. The high-density plant sampling approach employed in this study allowed for enhanced spatial resolution and improved accuracy in the predictive surfaces for bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr created by Empirical Bayesian Kriging (EBK). These findings provide valuable insights into the geographic distribution of strontium isotopes within Belgium and offer a foundation for future studies in archaeology, ecology, environmental studies, food sciences and forensics. Furthermore, the extensive coverage of various plant species provided a robust representation of the local ecosystems and their strontium sources. Overall, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on regional strontium isoscapes, enhancing our understanding of the complex interplay between litho- and biosphere in shaping the strontium isotope compositions of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the increasing demand for extensive strontium (Sr) datasets across various scientific fields has prompted the development of fast, precise, and reliable protocols. These protocols aim to achieve high sample-throughput without compromising data quality. A novel method termed the zirconium (Zr) doped sample-standard bracketing (SSB) has been recently introduced for isotope measurements using multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). This method allows for simultaneous acquisition of 87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr data without the need for sample spiking. However, the reliability of this method in handling large datasets and ensuring long-term reproducibility requires additional documentation. A comprehensive examination of the reliability of Sr isotope data over two years involves the implementation of systematic tests on reference materials from the National Institute of standards and technology (NIST) with the standard reference material (SRM) numbers: 1400, 1515, 987, 2910b, 1486, as well as a Hawaiian volcano observatory basalt (BHVO-1). The results of this study lead to the definition of a set of quality control parameters. The developed protocol applies various controls to ensure precise matching of Sr and Zr concentrations for both the samples and the bracketing standard (NIST SRM 987), along with the identification of instrumental biases. The outlined quality control ensures the reproducibility of the results (87Sr/86Sr = 0.710247 ± 0.000026, 2SD, n = 557; and δ88Sr = 0.001 ± 0.053 ‰, 2SD, n = 537 for NIST SRM 987), proving invaluable for archaeological, geological, and ecological studies requiring the fast acquisition of extensive datasets (n > 100) to create isotopic baselines. [Display omitted] • 1465 Sr isotope measurements (87Sr/86Sr and δ88Sr) over 2 years. • New data for SRM NIST 987, 1400, 1486, 1515, 2910B, as well as BHVO_1. • Results show importance of using both Zr (91 and 92) correction methods on δ88Sr. • Precision and accuracy improved thanks to 6 developed parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Three early medieval Irish communities within a 30-km radius in Co. Meath, Ireland, have been examined using multiple isotopes (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δ13C, δ15N) to elucidate human and domesticated animal subsistence and provenance. Existing 87Sr/86Sr data from geochemical mapping of contemporary soils, plants and streamwater were compared to human and animal tooth enamel 87Sr/86Sr to assess potential past human migration, in combination with δ18O from bone collagen. Oxygen isotope (δ18O) values of human bone collagen are notably invariable, 10.0 ± 0.6‰ (n = 36), for the three archaeological sites: Collierstown, Johnstown and Raystown. Fauna (sheep, pigs, cats and a dog) δ18O collagen from Raystown are distinctly grouped between and among certain species, the first instance to our knowledge of such a result. The aggregate faunal data demonstrate that δ18O collagen values of faunal remains should not be used to infer local δ18O ranges for humans. Nitrogen isotope (δ15N) values for both domesticated animal (9.8 ± 1.7‰) and adult human (12.0 ± 0.8‰) bone collagen are tightly constrained suggesting a similar source of protein in the diet of humans. A mean carbon isotope (δ13C) value of −21.0 ± 0.4‰ for adult humans indicates overwhelming terrestrial sources of foodstuffs. Strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) from human dental enamel range from 0.7085-0.7110 (n = 25). Two individuals (R841 and R854), both from Raystown, are statistical outliers based on their 87Sr/86Sr and δ13C values and are likely migrants to the locality where they were buried. We note that one of these putative migrants met a particularly violent end. Highlights • Isotopes (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O, δ13C, δ15N) of three early medieval Irish sites are presented. • Two individuals are outliers based on 87Sr/86Sr and δ13C and are likely migrants. • Oxygen isotope (δ18O) values of human bone collagen are invariable, 10.0 ± 0.6‰. • Fauna (sheep, pigs, cats and a dog) δ18O collagen group between and among species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The funerary Bronze Age culture in the Belgian part of the Meuse valley is poorly understood due to the challenging nature of cremation deposits that dominate the archaeological record. Only a few sites were analysed in that region, limiting the possibilities to reconstruct the development of Bronze Age populations in Belgium. Due to its good preservation and detailed excavation reports, the site of Herstal (Belgium) offers a unique opportunity to finally gain new insights into the life and death of those buried in the Meuse Valley during the Late Bronze Age. A total of 21 graves were analysed using a multi-proxy approach, combining grave typology, osteoarchaeology, strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr), and radiocarbon dating. The 87Sr/86Sr results show that the individuals of Herstal most likely used a variety of local food supplies while having interactions with other populations in and beyond the Meuse Valley, as demonstrated by the bronze artefacts and ceramics displaying clear influences from Germany, Southern Netherlands, and North-West France. The cemetery most likely shows a local burial style with the presence of two (or even three) individuals in several cremation deposits containing a number of privileged individuals who had access to bronze trading networks. • Multi-proxy analyses reveal regional and local burial practices. • 87Sr/86Sr from different bone fragments in the same grave aid in determining MNI. • Different radiocarbon dates within single graves show familial significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]