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À l’occasion d’une fouille dans la vallée de l’Escaut, une étude géomorphologique a permis, à partir de données nouvelles, de mieux appréhender la dynamique sédimentaire de la rivière au cours de l’Holocène inférieur. Ces données montrent qu’un environnement fluvio-lacustre s’installe à la transition Weichsélien/Holocène et disparaît avec la densification des forêts de pins. Elles participent probablement à l’abaissement de la nappe phréatique, mais également à l’augmentation de la fréquence et de l’étendue des feux de forêt naturels amenant à une période d’instabilité des versants et à un accroissement de la dynamique alluviale. L’apparition des forêts mixtes moins sujettes aux feux entraine l’extension des marécages alluviaux. During an archaeological excavation in the Scheldt Valley, a geomorphological study allowed a better understanding of the sedimentary dynamics during the Early Holocene. The data provide evidence of a fluvio-lacustrine environment established at the Weichselian/Holocene transition which disappeared with the intensification of pine forests. The latter probably contributed to the lowering of groundwater, but also to the increase in the frequency and extent of natural forest fires leading to a period of slope instability and a renewal of alluvial dynamics. The emergence of mixed forests less prone to fires ultimately leads to the formation of alluvial swamps.

In Belgian cremated remains, a significant difference can be seen in strontium elemental ([Sr]) and isotope (87Sr/86Sr) results between Metal Ages and Roman individuals. This pattern was well-observed within the site of Destelbergen, where both a Metal Ages urnfield (ca. 10th – 3rd century BCE) and a Gallo-Roman cemetery (1st – 3rd century CE) occur closely together, affected by the same bio-available strontium. The Gallo-Roman results show significantly higher [Sr] and a narrower range in 87Sr/86Sr, reminding of the value of modern-day seawater (0.7092) and thus, seem indicative of a certain marine influence. After exclusion of many possible causes, the increase in [Sr] seems likely related to an increased salt use as a food preservative, including salt-rich preserved meat and fish in the Gallo-Roman period. Although it cannot be ignored that multi-component diets remain highly complex and isotopic results cannot provide direct and universal interpretations, this observation might help extend the interpretation range of cremated remains. Indeed, [Sr], which are often overlooked due to the presence of more informative stable isotopes, can be an interesting additional variable when studied on a population scale. This study highlights potential dangers of changing dietary practices in cross-period palaeomobility studies based on strontium isotope ratios.

Cremation is the most common funerary practice in Belgium during the Late Bronze Age. However, often only limited information on the burned individuals was obtained due to the fragmentary nature of the bones resulting from the cremation process. Due to its good preservation and documentation, the site of Herstal, located close to the Meuse River and its 21 burials offer a unique opportunity to reevaluate the funerary practices using multi proxy analyses. Osteology, Sr isotope analyses and radiocarbon dating have been combined at the site of Herstal, revealing the presence of non-contemporary individuals in two graves: three in grave 6 and two in grave 4. Furthermore, grave 6 reveals the somewhat unique presence of several nonadults buried together in an urn as opposed to other cemeteries where commonly nonadults are buried together with at least one adult. One of these nonadults was aged between 7 and 12 years and could already have been considered socioculturally as an adult within this community based on the age and the grave goods. Moreover, as the remains seem to have been kept for a while, this practice might show a possible family/genealogical meaning at Herstal. The aim of this study is to compare the osteological and isotopic results of the graves 6 and 4 of Herstal with three graves from Grand Bois and Achelse Dijk, Belgium, where a similar pattern was observed. This research allows for new interpretations regarding the curation of the bones at the end of the 2nd – beginning of the 1st millennium BCE and improves our understanding of the society at that period. It significantly contributes to our knowledges of the funerary practices in the Late Bronze Age in the Belgian Meuse Valley., Cremation is the most common funerary practice in Belgium during the Late Bronze Age. However, often only limited information on the burned individuals was obtained due to the fragmentary nature of the bones resulting from the cremation process. Due to its good preservation and documentation, the site of Herstal, located close to the Meuse River and its 21 burials offer a unique opportunity to reevaluate the funerary practices using multi proxy analyses. Osteology, Sr isotope analyses and radiocarbon dating have been combined at the site of Herstal, revealing the presence of non-contemporary individuals in two graves: three in grave 6 and two in grave 4. Furthermore, grave 6 reveals the somewhat unique presence of several nonadults buried together in an urn as opposed to other cemeteries where commonly nonadults are buried together with at least one adult. One of these nonadults was aged between 7 and 12 years and could already have been considered socioculturally as an adult within this community based on the age and the grave goods. Moreover, as the remains seem to have been kept for a while, this practice might show a possible family/genealogical meaning at Herstal. The aim of this study is to compare the osteological and isotopic results of the graves 6 and 4 of Herstal with three graves from Grand Bois and Achelse Dijk, Belgium, where a similar pattern was observed. This research allows for new interpretations regarding the curation of the bones at the end of the 2nd –beginning of the 1st millennium BCE and improves our understanding of the society at that period. It significantly contributes to our knowledges of the funerary practices in the Late Bronze Age in the Belgian Meuse Valley.