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Sr isotopic composition as a tool for unraveling human mobility in the Campania area

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Abstract

Recent strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) analyses of bones and teeth have provided useful archeological results for reconstructing past human migration and diet. We report 87Sr/86Sr ratios and DNA analyses of tooth enamel from individuals buried in some necropolises in Nola town, near Napoli (Campania, South Italy). These individuals lived in the period between the Avellino (1925 years BCE) and CE 472 Pollena Vesuvian eruptions and are dated on archeological basis to the time span between the sixth and second century BCE. Tooth enamel 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.70788–0.70864) are higher than baseline values in the necropolises (0.70756–0.70792): this can be explained by assuming either that all the analyzed individuals are not local—an unlikely possibility—or that they ate both local and foreign food (within about 50 km), including 87Sr-rich seafood. An explanation for such a varied diet might be that the individuals from Nola were living near the Ancient Appia and Popilia ways and not far from the coastline. Whatever its origin, the 87Sr/86Sr ratios represent the isotopic signature of the local community living on the slopes of Mt. Somma-Vesuvius between the sixth and second centuries BCE. This knowledge will support future isotope studies on volcanic eruptions as possible causes of human migration.

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Acknowledgments

The authors warmly thank Maria D’Amato and Mr. Pasquale Belviso for their help during sample preparation and Dott.ssa Costanza Gialanella and Dott. Nicola Castaldo for providing some of the analyzed samples. The Editor and two anonymous reviewers are warmly thanked for their criticism that improved the manuscript, as well as Prof. Richard Brown for reading and improving the final revision of the paper. FTIR analyses have been performed at the laboratory of INGV, OV. Dott.ssa Piochi is warmly thanked for her assistance during analyses. Mrs. M. Loddo and Mrs. R. Altavilla are thanked for they kind support in library consulting. The INGV, OV laboratories have been financially supported by the EPOS Research Infrastructure through the contribution of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, sezione di Napoli Osservatorio Vesuviano, Via Diocleziano 328, 80124, Naples, Italy

    Ilenia Arienzo, Ilaria Rucco, Mauro Antonio Di Vito & Antonio Carandente

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e delle Risorse, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo, Via Vicinale Cupa Cintia 21, 80126, Naples, Italy

    Massimo D’Antonio

  3. Soprintendenza archeologia, belle arti e paesaggio per l’area metropolitana di Napoli, Naples, Italy

    Mario Cesarano

  4. Centre of Molecular Anthropology for Ancient DNA Studies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Flavio De Angelis, Marco Romboni & Olga Rickards

Authors
  1. Ilenia Arienzo
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  2. Ilaria Rucco
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  3. Mauro Antonio Di Vito
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  4. Massimo D’Antonio
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  5. Mario Cesarano
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  6. Antonio Carandente
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  7. Flavio De Angelis
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  8. Marco Romboni
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  9. Olga Rickards
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Correspondence to Ilenia Arienzo.

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Short highlights

• We analyzed 87Sr/86Sr on teeth and bones from individuals buried in Nola, South Italy.

• We determined the sex of the humans from Nola necropolises.

• 87Sr/86Sr ranges from 0.7079 to 0.7086 for tooth enamel.

• 87Sr/86Sr ranges from 0.7075 to 0.7085 for the local baseline.

• This is the first attempt to study people mobility in Campania through 87Sr/86Sr.

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Arienzo, I., Rucco, I., Di Vito, M.A. et al. Sr isotopic composition as a tool for unraveling human mobility in the Campania area. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 12, 157 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01088-0

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