Isotopic analyses of archaeological skeletal tissue have made important contributions to our understanding of major changes in subsistence strategies in prehistoric Europe (e.g., the Mesolithic – Neolithic transition). At a smaller scale, the technique has been used to explore intra- and inter-site differentiation in diet and residence related to sex, age and status, and has helped reveal unique individual life histories – like the movements of the Alpine Iceman. Until now, regional variability in isotopic systems, a lack of background data, and small sample sizes has limited the interpretive power of this technique in Eastern Europe. Recent publications of large, multi-isotope data sets from collaborative research projects (e.g., the LBK Lifeways Project, The Beaker People Project) are beginning to lay the groundwork for a better understanding of biogeochemical variability over time and space. This paper summarizes the current state of research in Hungary and reflect on the potential and limitations of this methodology for elucidating the role that mobility played in early village societies from the Neolithic, Copper, and Bronze Age. At the macro-scale, there appears to be significant shifts in the types of movement practiced over this time sequence; however, micro-regional case studies indicate that not all village societies participated in larger regional or temporal trends.
Talk
Isotopic patterns of mobility in Hungarian archaeology: A review from early village societies spanning the Neolithic to the Bronze Age
Dr. Julia Giblin