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University of Groningen Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age Thessaly by Strontium Isotope Analysis Panagiotopoulou, Eleni; Montgomery, Janet; Nowell, Geoff; Peterkin, Joanne; Doulgeri- Intzesiloglou, Argiro; Arachoviti, Polixeni; Katakouta, Stiliani; Tsiouka, Fotini Published in: European Journal of Archaeology DOI: 10.1017/eaa.2017.88 IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below. Document Version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Publication date: 2018 Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database Citation for published version (APA): Panagiotopoulou, E., Montgomery, J., Nowell, G., Peterkin, J., Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou, A., Arachoviti, P., Katakouta, S., & Tsiouka, F. (2018). Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age Thessaly by Strontium Isotope Analysis. European Journal of Archaeology, 21(4), 590-611. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2017.88 Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum. Download date: 27-05-2021

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University of Groningen

Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age Thessaly by Strontium Isotope AnalysisPanagiotopoulou, Eleni; Montgomery, Janet; Nowell, Geoff; Peterkin, Joanne; Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou, Argiro; Arachoviti, Polixeni; Katakouta, Stiliani; Tsiouka, FotiniPublished in:European Journal of Archaeology

DOI:10.1017/eaa.2017.88

IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite fromit. Please check the document version below.

Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record

Publication date:2018

Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database

Citation for published version (APA):Panagiotopoulou, E., Montgomery, J., Nowell, G., Peterkin, J., Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou, A., Arachoviti, P.,Katakouta, S., & Tsiouka, F. (2018). Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age Thessaly by Strontium IsotopeAnalysis. European Journal of Archaeology, 21(4), 590-611. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2017.88

CopyrightOther than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of theauthor(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons).

Take-down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediatelyand investigate your claim.

Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons thenumber of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.

Download date: 27-05-2021

Page 2: University of Groningen Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age … · 2018. 12. 10. · Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age Thessaly by Strontium Isotope Analysis ELENI PANAGIOTOPOULOU

Detecting Mobility in Early Iron AgeThessaly by Strontium Isotope Analysis

ELENI PANAGIOTOPOULOU1, JANET MONTGOMERY

2, GEOFF NOWELL3,

JOANNE PETERKIN3, ARGIRO DOULGERI-INTZESILOGLOU

4, POLIXENI ARACHOVITI4,

STILIANI KATAKOUTA5AND FOTINI TSIOUKA

6

1Institute of Archaeology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands2Department of Archaeology, Durham University, UK3Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, UK4Ephorate of Antiquities of Magnesia, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Volos, Greece5Ephorate of Antiquities of Larisa, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Larisa, Greece6Ephorate of Antiquities of Karditsa, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Karditsa, Greece

This article presents evidence of population movements in Thessaly, Greece, during the Early Iron Age(Protogeometric period, eleventh–ninth centuries BC). The method we employed to detect non-local indi-viduals is strontium isotope analysis (87Sr/86Sr) of tooth enamel integrated with the contextual analysisof mortuary practices and osteological analysis of the skeletal assemblage. During the Protogeometricperiod, social and cultural transformations occurred while society was recovering from the disintegrationof the Mycenaean civilization (twelfth century BC). The analysis of the cemeteries of Voulokaliva, Chloe,and Pharsala, located in southern Thessaly, showed that non-local individuals integrated in the commu-nities we focused on and contributed to the observed diversity in burial practices and to the develop-ments in the formation of a social organization.

Keywords: Early Iron Age, Greece, strontium isotope analysis, population mobility, Thessaly

INTRODUCTION

This article consists of an investigation ofpopulation movements in Thessaly duringthe post-Mycenaean period (Early IronAge, tenth–ninth centuries BC), usingstrontium isotope analysis of human toothenamel. Previous research on this periodhas primarily focused on the analysis ofancient historical sources and archaeologicaldata (Desborough, 1964; Snodgrass, 2000;Lemos, 2002; Dickinson, 2006; Morris,2007). In more recent years, various analyt-ical methods have been employed to

investigate diet, chronology, and metal andceramic production in Early Iron AgeGreece (Papathanasiou, 2013; Toffoloet al., 2013; Rückl, 2014; Orfanou, 2015;Panagiotopoulou & Papathanasiou, 2015;Triantaphyllou, 2015). While strontiumisotope analysis has been previously con-ducted on Greek assemblages (Richards,2008; Nafplioti, 2011), this is the first timethis method has been employed to investi-gate anthropological remains from theEarly Iron Age in Greece.The region of Thessaly was chosen

because it is traditionally considered as

European Journal of Archaeology 21 (4) 2018, 590–611This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, andreproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© European Association of Archaeologists 2018 doi:10.1017/eaa.2017.88Manuscript received 19 March 2017,accepted 13 December 2017, revised 5 November 2017

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forming the northern border of theMycenaean world and, thus, was affectedin the same way as the rest of the main-land by the disintegration of theMycenaean civilization (thirteenth–twelfthcenturies BC). The collapse of the palatialsystem resulted in a deep crisis; itprompted the breakdown of a stratifiedsociety, a decline in social institutions, anda social regression (Dickinson, 2006). Inthe subsequent Sub-Mycenaean (eleventhcentury BC) and Protogeometric (tenthand ninth centuries BC) periods, changesoccurred in social organization, in tradeand interaction, in production and tech-nology, in material culture, and in burialpractices (Lemos, 2002).In the Protogeometric period, the first

signs of important social developmentsbecome visible (Morris, 2007). The distri-bution of pottery and metalwork indicatesthat these regions had contacts and inter-acted either inside or outside Thessaly(Rückl, 2014; Lis et al., 2015). Newcemeteries were established, but pre-exist-ing Mycenaean ones were also still in use.Mycenaean funerary practices, such asmultiple burials in tholoi, were stillpresent alongside single burials in cists, apractice that spread very extensively in theEarly Iron Age and is considered to havelargely replaced the traditional burialforms (Dickinson, 2006).Many theories have been put forward to

explain the changes and the mosaic in theburial record of the post-Mycenaeanperiod. The notion, based on an interpret-ation of the work of ancient writers, of alarge-scale migration of hostile groupsfrom northern areas of Greece and theBalkans was posited to explain the suddenand widespread change (Desborough,1972). This idea lost ground as new evi-dence suggested that it was a deteriorationof living conditions that led to a gradualtransformation of the social organizationof Early Iron Age communities (Whitley,

1991; Morris, 2007). Another hypothesisattributes the changes to a shift from seden-tary agriculture to pastoralism (Snodgrass,2006); studies into the health status of EarlyIron Age populations, which was consideredto have improved compared to the LateBronze Age, suggested they consumedlarger amounts of meat (Morris, 2007).However, the lack of sufficient archaeozoo-logical studies in this period makes it prob-lematic to follow this line of enquiry further.More recently, population movementmodels have once again come to the fore asan explanation. These models propose thatsmall-scale movements of groups or indivi-duals within and without the old palatialterritories explain the cultural and socialchanges observed (Snodgrass, 2000; Lemos,2002; Coldstream, 2003; Morris, 2007;Georganas, 2009).Several major questions currently dom-

inate the scholarly discussions of EarlyIron Age Greece:

A. Can we detect whether populationmovements were associated withchanges in the mortuary record?

B. If so, were they at the level of a popu-lation or did they involve individualsor small groups (such as families)moving from one place to another?

Many approaches have been devisedto detect movements of groups, such ascultural, technological, and linguistic dif-fusion, but arguments against such inter-pretations have been put forward due toambiguities or biases in the archaeologi-cal data or lack of substantial evidence(Hall, 1997). Here, we aim to examine themovements of people in the Early IronAge by integrating strontium isotope ana-lysis of human tooth enamel with the con-textual analysis of mortuary data.Our study focuses on the mortuary evi-

dence from three sites in Thessaly, whichoccupy significant locations and exhibitsubstantial variation in funerary practices:

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the cemetery of Chloe, the cemetery ofVoulokaliva in Halos, and the cemeteriesof Pharsala (Figure 1).

ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXT

The cemetery of Chloe is one of the burialgrounds of Pherae, a town occupied con-tinuously from the Late Neolithic (4500–3200/3000 BC) to the Roman period (firstcentury BC to fourth century AD) (Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou, 1994; Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou& Arachoviti, 2006; Georganas, 2008).The cemetery is located in eastern Thessaly,on a plain north-west of the PagaseticGulf (Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou, 1994, 1996;Arachoviti, 2000; Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou &Arachoviti, 2006; Georganas, 2008)(Figure 1). Eight tholoi were discovered, allof the same type; which follows that of theMycenaean predecessors, but are smaller(Arachoviti, 2000) and located close to eachother. This study focuses on two of theeight tholoi (EII, ZI). These two tholoicontained multiple inhumations of males,females, and subadults older than five years(Panagiotopoulou et al., forthcoming).The cemetery of Voulokaliva is one of the

three cemeteries of Halos in south-eastern

Thessaly (Figure 1), with a period of usefrom the later Bronze Age (c. 1300–1100BC) to Hellenistic times (c. 300–265 BC)(Reinders, 2003; Malakasioti, 2006).Voulokaliva is located on the western coastof the Pagasetic Gulf near important mari-time routes and along land routes that con-nected it with the southern and northernGreek mainland (Stissi et al., 2004). Theindividuals were buried mainly in simple pitsand cists, but a circular construction, prob-ably an imitation of a tholos tomb, was alsofound. Adjacent to the clusters of burials inthe cemetery, scattered graves have beenfound throughout the area, but, because thecemetery was a rescue excavation, its fullextent and perimeter is not (yet) known.The graves included single and double inhu-mations of males, females, and subadultsof all ages (Panagiotopoulou et al., 2016).Pharsala is located in southern Thessaly,

near routes to western Thessaly andEpirus through Mount Pindos. Twoburial grounds have been excavated(Tziafalias & Batziou-Efstathiou, 2010;Katakouta, 2012): one (Site 1) is a north-wards extension of the Mycenaean ceme-tery, while the other (Site 2) is a ratherdistant burial ground (Figure 1). Site 1had single or multiple inhumations of

Figure 1. Location map showing Greece and Thessaly.

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males and females, single inhumations ofsubadults of all ages, and a few cremations.The tomb types are pits, cists, burial enclo-sures, tholoi, and a tumulus. Site 2, locatedapproximately 6 km to the north-east ofthe first cemetery, consists of two tholoicovering only adults (Panagiotopoulou et al.,forthcoming). Details of the osteologicalanalysis of the human remains used inthis article are available in Panagiotopoulouet al. (2016) and Panagiotopoulou et al.(forthcoming).

VARIATION IN BURIAL PRACTICES

The contextual analysis of burial practicesdefines the context in which the burialforms developed, in our case the differenttomb types, tomb distribution patterns,burial treatment, age, and sex of theindividuals.The analysis has indicated funerary pat-

terns and variations, which can be attributedto social differentiation (Panagiotopoulouet al., 2016; Panagiotopoulou et al., forth-coming) but also to the presence of non-local individuals. Here, we focus on aspectswhere population movements may havecaused such differentiation. These aspectsare: a) the spatial organization in differentburial locations used by the same commu-nity; b) the co-existence of clustered andnon-clustered graves in the same cemetery;and c) the different grave types, such assimple graves with single burials againstcomplex tomb constructions with multipleburials.The cemetery of Chloe included mainly

tholos tombs with multiple burials, althougha few cist graves were also present. Thecontemporaneous site of Voulokaliva inHalos mainly comprised single burials insimple cists. Pharsala, on the other hand, isthe cemetery showing the greatest diversity.The variety of different tomb types, treat-ment, and burial locations was attributed to

the same community. Furthermore, thepractice of excluding young subadults(under four years old) from receiving formalburial in the Early Iron Age, a practice con-sidered to be Mycenaean, was only attestedin a few cases, such as at the tholoi ofChloe (Panagiotopoulou et al., 2016;Panagiotopoulou et al., forthcoming).Chloe appears to be a cemetery where

traditional burial practices continued to beperformed, whereas Voulokaliva andPharsala incorporated more innovativepractices. The community of Voulokalivaadopted only simple forms, while thecemetery of Pharsala developed in a morecomplex manner, with innovation andtradition present alongside each other in amore evident way.The questions initially formulated can

now be turned into more targeted andspecific questions:

A. Could differences in burial locations/clusters indicate groups or individualsof different origin(s)?

B. Could innovative practices have beenintroduced by individuals who hadmoved to these communities fromother regions, or did the need forsocial change drive the local popula-tion towards this choice?

These questions were addressed throughthe application of strontium isotope ana-lysis to investigate whether, and in whatproportion, non-local individuals werepresent at each site.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT OF

GREECE AND THESSALY

Greece lies at the southern edge of theBalkan Peninsula. It has a varied terrain,with a long coastline and mountains alter-nating with plains. The mountains can bevery high with rounded summits, anderosion makes relics of the old landscape

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visible. The lowlands are coastal plains orinland basins that were depressed anduplifted again (Darby, 1944; Danalatos,1992; Higgins & Higgins, 1996).Thessaly lies in the eastern part of the

central Greek mainland (Figure 1). TheThessalian bedrock is mainly composed oflimestones, dolomites, schists, and flyschof Triassic age (252.17–208.8 millionyears ago). During the Oligocene (36.6–23.7 million years ago) and Miocene(23.7–5.3 million years ago), Thessaly wasa shallow sea and, later, in the earlyPliocene (5.3–1.6 million years ago), anextensive lake. Tectonic activity in thePleistocene created grabens, which accu-mulated lacustrine deposits.Thessaly’s depression is surrounded by

mountain ranges: the mountain chain ofOlympos-Ossa-Pelion is in the north andeast and is a Neogene horst composed ofPelagonian ophiolites, gneiss, schist, andmetamorphosed sedimentary and volcanicrocks. Pelion, the southern end of therange and the nearest to the site of Chloe,is mainly composed of schist, but marble isalso present on the northern side of themountain. The Pindos range is in the westof Thessaly. The Pindos zone has been adeep ocean basin with limestone accumula-tions, which was later filled with flyschsediments. Finally, Mount Othrys, which isthe nearest to the cemetery of Voulokaliva,demarcates the southern borders ofThessaly. It consists of limestone, Neogenesediments, and marble (Danalatos, 1992;Higgins & Higgins, 1996).

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Enamel and environmental samples

For the purpose of this study, we collectedhuman tooth enamel and environmentalsamples. We sampled non-diagnostic ofpathologies human teeth, preferably loose

and not attached to the mandible ormaxilla but evidently associated with speci-fic individuals. The number of samples fromeach site is as follows: ten from Chloe,thirteen from Voulokaliva, and thirteenfrom Pharsala (Table 1). Environmentalsampling covered the geological formationsthat could have contributed to the stron-tium intake by humans and animals, asshown in Table 2.The environmental samples (snail shells

and water samples) were obtained fromthe wider area surrounding the cemeteries.We attempted to cover areas of possibleland exploitation for plant farming andanimal breeding as well as water sources.This sampling provided information on therange of bioavailable strontium that charac-terizes the soil and water end-members ofthe cemetery regions or regions of compar-able geology. At Chloe the sampling circlearound the cemetery was approximately 5km in diameter. Sampling stopped at phys-ical boundaries—i.e. where the same geo-logical formation was extended for longdistances and where access to areas was hin-dered by boundaries such as mountains(Figure 2). The area of Halos was sampledwithin a diameter of approximately 10 km.Again, a mountain, the sea, and extendedgeological formations were the boundariesto further sampling (Figure 3). Pharsala wasencircled by a diameter of approximately9 km, using parameters similar to thosechosen for the previous sites (Figure 4).Several ways of establishing the local

baseline have been developed since thefirst use of strontium isotope analysis inarchaeology. Statistical analyses of humanisotope ratios and analysis of soils, plants,waters, and modern animals with limitedforaging distance, such as rodents and snailshells, have all been used to better definethe local strontium baseline (Price et al.,1994, 2002; Wright, 2005; Hartman &Richards, 2014). Here, we have used snailshells and water samples because both are

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Table 1. Sr isotope ratios of human enamel samples and dentine from the sites of Chloe, Voulokaliva,and Pharsala. Samples were analysed during two analytical sessions. The reproducibility of theNBS987 standard in the two sessions is given below. The superscript number by the 87Sr/86Sr ratiorelates the sample to the relevant analytical session.1. Average 87Sr/86Sr for NBS987: 0.710278 ± 23 (32ppm, 2SD n = 10)2. Average 87Sr/86Sr for NBS987: 0.710264 ± 17 (24ppm, 2SD n = 11)

Site Sample number 87Sr/86Sr norm 2SE Sr concentration (ppm) (1/Sr)*103

Chloe C/E-th2/cr2 0.70912 0.000021 93 11

Chloe C/E-th2/cr3 0.70942 0.000020 113 9

Chloe C/E-th2/o4 0.70892 0.000018 92 11

Chloe C/E-th2/cr6 0.70912 0.000017 120 8

Chloe C/E-th2/cr7 0.70912 0.000013 104 10

Chloe C/Z-th1/cr1 0.70912 0.000017 133 8

Chloe C/Z-th1/cr3 0.70912 0.000019 107 9

Chloe C/Z-th1/cr4 0.70912 0.000021 87 12

Chloe C/Z-th1/cr8 0.70922 0.000018 121 8

Chloe C/Z-th1/cr10 0.70892 0.000020 79 13

Voulokaliva HaVo/e-c5 0.70911 0.000018 95 11

Voulokaliva HaVo/e-cc8/ind1 0.70871 0.000018 92 11

Voulokaliva HaVo/e-c12/ind1 0.70901 0.000019 72 14

Voulokaliva HaVo/e-p65 0.70901 0.000016 55 18

Voulokaliva HaVo/e-p66 0.70911 0.000015 81 12

Voulokaliva HaVo/e-c72 0.70891 0.000018 61 16

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-c7/ind1 0.70791 0.000016 132 8

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-c7/ind2 0.70851 0.000022 106 9

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-c11/ind1 0.70891 0.000019 56 18

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-c11/ind2 0.70921 0.000014 72 14

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-c13 0.70922 0.000020 75 13

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-c21 0.70912 0.000016 129 8

Voulokaliva HaVo/w-p31 0.70892 0.000026 44 23

Pharsala F/Ep-th1 0.70911 0.000018 77 13

Pharsala F/Ep-th2/ind2 0.70911 0.000020 86 12

Pharsala F/Ep-th2/ind1 0.70911 0.000015 108 9

Pharsala F/Ep-th2/secA/ind1 0.70911 0.000016 78 13

Pharsala F/Ep-th2/secB 0.70911 0.000016 76 13

Pharsala F/Od- be18/ind1 0.70881 0.000018 83 12

Pharsala F/Od-th20 0.70881 0.000016 83 12

Pharsala F/Od-be28/south 0.70941 0.000015 153 7

Pharsala F/Od-c25 0.70921 0.000010 165 6

Pharsala F/Per-th1/ind3 0.70871 0.000020 69 15

Pharsala F/Per-c4 0.70871 0.000018 71 14

Pharsala F/Per-c5 0.70871 0.000022 94 11

Pharsala F/Per-c8 0.70801 0.000018 187 5

Double F/Od-be18/ind1 0.70882 0.000019 71 14

Double HaVo/w-c7/ind1 0.70902 0.000014 135 7

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suitable for Thessaly, based on the region’senvironmental characteristics.Snail shells represent the different geo-

logical formations in the areas around thecemeteries. Snails are suitable proxies forthis study for two reasons: a) their limitedforaging range reflects the averaged localplants consumed by the snail and the localstrontium isotope ratio; and b) Thessaly is alow-rainfall region receiving approximately400–800 mm annual rainfall and thus thestrontium incorporated into the snail shellis not diluted (Evans et al., 2009).

Strontium isotope analysis

Strontium isotope analysis of tooth enamelwas employed to address the researchquestions presented above regarding theEarly Iron Age communities. Strontium isan element that is incorporated into thehuman body, primarily the skeleton,through diet and is strongly related to thegeological and geographical environmentwhere the food was produced. Strontiumin the biosphere derives from the under-lying bedrock and its isotope ratios dependon the lithological composition and theage of the rock. Weathering and erosionof the rocks and subterranean water move-ments transfer the strontium to the soil,and into the human food chain via theconsumption of plants by animals andhumans (Stallo et al., 2010).Strontium is incorporated into both

bone and teeth, but the most suitable tissuehas proved to be tooth enamel for twomajor reasons. First, tooth enamel is dense,inert, non-porous, and resistant to post-

mortem contamination (Price et al., 2002).Second, teeth are formed during childhood,and tooth enamel, an acellular and avasculartissue, does not remodel subsequently and,thus, is regarded as an archive of childhoodexposure. Therefore, by studying strontiumisotopes in tooth enamel we gain informa-tion on the geological environment fromwhich individuals obtained their foodduring childhood. If an individual relocatedin later life to a different geological terrain,the strontium isotope ratio of their burialplace and that of their tooth enamel shouldbe distinguishable (Montgomery, 2010).

LABORATORY PROCEDURE

Samples for Sr isotope analysis were pre-pared and analysed at the Arthur HolmesIsotope Geology Laboratory, Departmentof Earth Sciences, Durham University.Enamel samples were removed from eachtooth using dental burs and saws, cleanedof all surfaces and adhering dentine andsealed in microtubes. In order to charac-terize the environment at each of the threesites, samples of c. 50 mg from the shellsof land snails and water samples of 30 mlwere collected from streams and seawater.The pre-cleaned enamel chips (0.01 g–

0.1 g) were weighed into clean Teflonbeakers and dissolved in 1 ml Teflon dis-tilled (TD) 16M HNO3, dried down, andre-dissolved in 0.5 ml TD 3M HNO3. Srwas extracted from the sample matrix as afraction eluted from an Eichrom Sr-Specexchange resin column.The Sr fraction, eluted from the column

in 0.4mls MQ H2O, was acidified with

Table 1. (Cont.)

Site Sample number 87Sr/86Sr norm 2SE Sr concentration (ppm) (1/Sr)*103

Dentine F/Od-be18/ind1 0.70822 0.000016 112 9

Dentine HaVo/w-c21 0.70832 0.000018 91 11

Dentine C/E-th2/cr2 0.71002 0.000018 268 4

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Table 2. Sr isotope values of environmental samples from the sites of Chloe, Voulokaliva, and Pharsala. Average 87Sr/86Sr for NBS987 standard duringanalytical session for environmental samples: 0.710278 ± 23 (32ppm, 2SD n = 10). The geological periods and formations where the samples have been collectedare also presented.

Environmental samples

Site Samplename

Sr 2SD Sampletype

Geological formations Period

Chloe CH03s 0.7088 0.000013 Snail shell Alluvial deposits light-grey to brown-grey fluvio-lacustrine material of silt,clay, and very little coarser material deposited in the Voiviis (Karla) lakebasin, deposits on plains, open towards the sea, and small interiorbasins of clay, sand, and pebbles, torrential deposits, torrential terracesmaterial, and eluvial mantle material.

Quaternary/Holocene

Chloe CH05w 0.7086 0.000018 Water Alluvial deposits light-grey to brown-grey fluvio-lacustrine material of silt,clay and very little coarser material deposited in the Voiviis (Karla) lakebasin, deposits on plains, open towards the sea, and small interiorbasins of clay, sand, and pebbles, torrential deposits, torrential terracesmaterial, and eluvial mantle material. Near the formation: MiddleTriassic/Upper Jurassic, marbles which constitute the regular upwardsevolution of the Neopaleozoic–Lower Middle Triassic formations witha locally intercalated horizon consisting of calcite schists, cipolins, andmuscovite schists with metabasite intercalations. Small bauxiteoccurrences.

Quaternary/Holocene

Chloe CH09s 0.7089 0.000015 Snail shell ol: olistholiths of diabasic-dioritic rocks.In the Velestino area in the lower parts of the flysch, olistoliths and olis-

tostromes of various lithological composition are present, with lime-stones, dolomites, serpentinites, pyroxenites, diabasic rocks, cherts, andothers of a total thickness of up to c. 150 m. Locally the flysch uncon-formably overlies the underlying Upper Cretaceous limestones.

Pelagonian Zone – Lower TectonicUnit – Middle Senonian/Maestrichtian/Paleocene

Chloe CH11s 0.7103 0.000012 Snail shell fg: flysch consisting of fine- to medium-grained sandstones and in places,towards the upper parts, of coarse-grained sandstones, with the mainminerals being quartz, feldspar, muscovite, sericite, and calcite withintercalations of pelites, laminated in places, conglomerates, and sandyconglomerates.

Pelagonian Zone – Lower TectonicUnit – Middle Senonian/Maestrichtian/Paleocene

Chloe CH12s 0.7095 0.000017 Snail shell Fluvioterrestrial formations: red clays, clayey, sandy material of low cohe-sion, with dispersed rounded and angular pebbles, or coarse-grainedelement of various lithological composition, and breccio-conglomerates.

Pontian – Pliocene – LowerPleistocene

VoulokalivaHalos

HL01s 0.7078 0.000017 Snail shell Quaternary undivided, diluvium and alluvium. Clays, sands, gravels, talus(scree). Coastal conglomerates. Continental deposits. The site is coastal.

Quaternary

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Table 2. (Cont.)

Environmental samples

Site Samplename

Sr 2SD Sampletype

Geological formations Period

VoulokalivaHalos

HL04s 0.7080 0.000015 Snail shell Quaternary undivided, diluvium and alluvium. Clays, sands, gravels, talus.Coastal conglomerates. Continental deposits.

Quaternary

VoulokalivaHalos

HL05w 0.7086 0.000018 Water Quaternary undivided, diluvium and alluvium. Clays, sands, gravels, talus.Coastal conglomerates. Continental deposits.

Quaternary

VoulokalivaHalos

HL14s 0.7088 0.000016 Snail shell Partly or entirely metamorphosed formation of flysch (shales, sandstones,conglomerates, and intercalated limestones). Phyllites, sandstones, layersof black crystalline limestone.

Fossils scarce.

Upper Cretaceous

VoulokalivaHalos

HL15w 0.7079 0.000013 Water Neogene undivided. Mostly Pliocene. Marls, clays, gravels, sandstones,conglomerates, marly limestones. Neogene freshwater deposits withlignites. Fossils.

Adjacent to the formation: Quaternary undivided, diluvium and alluvium.Clays, sands, gravels, talus. Coastal conglomerates.

Continental deposits.

Neogene/Pliocene

VoulokalivaHalos

HL18s 0.7089 0.000016 Snail shell Partly or entirely metamorphosed formation of flysch (shales, sandstones,conglomerates, and intercalated limestones}. Phyllites, sandstones, layersof black crystalline limestone.

Fossils scarce.Between two formations. The second is metamorphosed thin-bedded or

compact limestone of Upper Cretaceous age, with phyllites and brecciasOn the coastline.

Neogene/Pliocene

VoulokalivaHalos

HL18w 0.7092 0.000018 Sea water Same as above Same as above

Pharsala FS03s 0.7084 0.000014 Snail shell Alluvium Holocene

Pharsala FS03w 0.7082 0.000017 Water Alluvium Holocene

Pharsala FS04s 0.7082 0.000021 Snail shell Alluvium Holocene

Pharsala FS04w 0.7085 0.000016 Water Alluvium Holocene

Pharsala FS07w 0.7078 0.000014 Water Ks: micro-brecciated limestone. Maybe under that cortege ophiolite.Adjacent to Holocene cônes de dejections torrentiels

Pelagonian Zone: Upper and MiddleCretaceous/Jurassic-Triassic (?)

Pharsala FS11s 0.7088 0.000015 Snail shell Alluvium Holocene

Pharsala FS11w 0.7085 0.000015 Water Alluvium Holocene

Pharsala FS15w 0.7090 0.000017 Water Lacustrine and fluvial deposits. Fossils are missing, ostracodes inabundance.

Upper Pleistocene

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TD 16M HNO3 to make a three per centHNO3 solution ready for isotope analysisby Multi-Collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS) using a ThermoFisher Neptune.Prior to analysis, the Sr fraction was testedto determine the Sr concentration and toensure the major isotope of Sr (88Sr) didnot exceed the maximum voltage (50 V)for the detector amplifiers. Any samplesthat exceeded this limit were diluted toyield an 88Sr signal of ∼25 V.A Sr isotope measurement comprised a

static multi-collection routine of 1 block of50 cycles with an integration time of 4seconds per cycle; total analysis time: 3.5minutes. Instrumental mass bias was cor-rected for by using an 88Sr/86Sr ratio of8.375209 (the reciprocal of the accepted86Sr/88Sr ratio of 0.1194) and an exponential

law. Corrections were also applied for Krinterferences on 84Sr and 86Sr and the Rbinterference on 87Sr. The average 83Kr inten-sity throughout the analytical session was∼0.08 mV, which is insignificant consideringthe Sr beam size (88Sr between 13 and 29V). The average 85Rb was slightly greater at∼0.8 mV, but, given the Sr beam size, thecorrection on the 87Sr/86Sr was very small(<0.00001) and is accurate.Samples were analysed during three

analytical sessions. The average 87Sr/86Srand reproducibility for the internationalstrontium isotope reference material NBS987 analysed during each analytical sessionare reported in the Table captions. Allsample data in Tables 1 and 2 are reportedrelative to an accepted 87Sr/86Sr ratio of0.71024 for NBS987.

Figure 2. Geological map of Chloe (Velestino and Volos sheets) showing the location of the environ-mental samples.Base map by the Institute for Geology and Subsurface Research of Greece, 1978, scale 1:50000.

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STRONTIUM ISOTOPE RESULTS

The local 87Sr/86Sr ranges have been esti-mated by the end-members of the environ-mental samples from each site. Therefore,Chloe’s range is 0.7086–0.7103 (n = 5),Voulokaliva’s is 0.7078–0.7092 (n = 7), andPharsala’s is 0.7078–0.7090 (n = 8). Thehuman enamel 87Sr/86Sr values at Chloerange from 0.7089 to 0.7094 (n = 10), atVoulokaliva from 0.7079 to 0.7092 (n = 13),and at Pharsala from 0.7080 to 0.7094 (n =13). The data discussed here are presented inTables 1 and 2. The letter beside the numberof each environmental sample indicates thetype of sample that has been used (‘s’ for snailshell and ‘w’ for water sample). The environ-mental samples represent different geologicalformations that could potentially have influ-enced the strontium isotope values of thefood and water ingested by the individuals ofthe populations under study. In order toexamine whether two or more geological

end-members could have contributed to thestrontium isotope values of these populations,we have also plotted human 87Sr/86Sr valuesagainst human strontium concentration (1/Srppm *103) (Montgomery et al., 2007). Someenvironmental samples have yielded different87Sr/86Sr values although they were collectedfrom the same geological formations. This isthe case where a snail shell and a watersample were collected. The reason for thisdifference is most probably the source of thespring water, which might have been locatedin a different geological formation, and thusthe 87Sr/86Sr value of the water reflects theaverage 87Sr/86Sr values of the geological for-mations the water had passed through.

Chloe

The human 87Sr/86Sr values from Chloeindicate that the entire assemblage appearsto be local: the human values fall within

Figure 3. Geological map of Halos (Almyro sheet) showing the location of the environmental samples.Base map by the Institute for Geology and Subsurface Research of Greece, 1962, scale 1:50000.

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the range of the environmental samples(Figure 5). As the strontium isotoperatios, with an isotopic range between theenvironmental samples CH3s, CH9s, andCH12s, span the rain/seawater value of0.7092, which is an estimate of atmos-pheric deposition, the individuals’ stron-tium appears to derive from more thantwo sources, that is two or more geologicalend-members and rainwater contributionto plants (Figure 5). These individualsappear to have obtained food from areasrepresented by the snail shell samplesCH3s, CH9s, and CH12s (Table 2).The same is indicated by the plot of

87Sr/86Sr against strontium concentration(1/Sr ppm *103), where no linear relation-ship of the entire assemblage is observed(Figure 6). The human values fall withinthe range from 0.7095 (CH12s) to

0.7088/0.7086 (CH03s/CH05w) (Tables1 and 2, Figures 5 and 6). The geologicalformation that sample CH11s (0.7103)represents seems to make no contributionto the human strontium isotope values;the negligible difference between thedentine and the second highest snail(CH12s) suggests that the higher localend-member is best represented by thesnail shell CH12s rather than the snailshell CH11s. The very small spread of thedata suggests that either limestone wasthe main geological formation or that theground water had flowed over limestone.Indeed, the sample CH09s represents aregion mainly composed by limestone andthe water CH05w was collected from anarea close to limestone (Table 2, Figure 3);thus, the water sample yields strontiumisotope values that represent those of

Figure 4. Geological map of Pharsala showing the location of the environmental samples.Base map by the Institute for Geology and Subsurface Research of Greece, 1969, scale 1:50000.

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Figure 5. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the human enamel and environmental samples (local 87Sr/86Sr ratios areindicated by the environmental end-members: dashed black line) from Chloe, Voulokaliva, andPharsala. The black thick line indicates the 87Sr/86Sr seawater value. The black arrow shows theenamel and the dentine of the same sample. The codes beside the environmental samples are the samplenames in Table 2. The error for Sr isotopes at 2sd is within the symbol.

Figure 6. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of human enamel and environmental samples from Chloe plotted against theSr concentration of the samples. The black thick line indicates the seawater 87Sr/86Sr value. The local87Sr/86Sr ratios are indicated by the environmental end-members: dashed black line. The black arrowshows the enamel and the dentine of the same sample. The error for Sr isotopes at 2sd is within the symbol.

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limestone bedrock. Geographically, we seethat these environmental end-membersdemarcate an area that could have beenused, for example, for farming (Figure 3).

Voulokaliva

The human 87Sr/86Sr values from the coastalsite of Voulokaliva appear to be dominatedby an upper marine end-member (via eitherthe sea or rainfall) as the majority clusterbelow, but close to, 0.7092 (Figure 5). Thereare also a few samples (4 out of 13) yieldinglower strontium isotope values, three ofwhich separate out from the aforementionedgroup but are still within the local environ-mental range. In the plot on Figure 7, wherestrontium isotope data with Sr concentrationrecorded in human teeth are combined, we

can see two groups of samples (Group I andGroup II).Group I must have used a region

restricted between the sea value (0.7092)and limestone (0.7089). Both these end-members represent samples collected inthe same location (seawater and snailshell). Group II belongs to an areabetween limestone (0.7089) and sediment-ary rocks (0.7078) (Table 2, Figure 4).Although this location is only 3 km fromthe coast, the contribution from the seaseems to be limited, possibly because a lowmountain stands between the two areas.The individuals from Voulokaliva all

appear to be local, but with differences infood origin. All the environmental samplesare sourced locally; the water samplescame from springs on the mountain ofSourpi, located to the west of the area of

Figure 7. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of human enamel and environmental samples from Voulokaliva plottedagainst the Sr concentration of the samples. The black thick line indicates the seawater 87Sr/86Sr value.The local 87Sr/86Sr ratios are indicated by the environmental end-members: dashed black line. Theblack arrow shows the enamel and the dentine of the same sample. The letters M, F, and I indicate thesex of the individuals from which these samples were taken (M: Male, F: Female, I: Indeterminatesex). The codes beside the environmental samples are the sample names in Table 2. The error for Srisotopes at 2sd is within the symbol.

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Halos. The majority is mainly influencedby the coastal environment, but also bylimestone. The three samples that do notfit in this restricted area on the plot prob-ably derive from people settled in theregion of Halos on sedimentary formationsor who obtained their food from a regionwhose 87Sr/86Sr values are not influencedby the sea.

Pharsala

The human 87Sr/86Sr values from Pharsalaclearly indicate two distinct groups(Figure 5). One group (A), with lower87Sr/86Sr values, lies within the local environ-mental range, while a second group (B), withhigher 87Sr/86Sr values, lies outside this localrange. Three more human samples are out-liers. Group C, a female and an

indeterminate individual yielding the highestvalues, lies above seawater and higher thanthe environmental range. Another individual(D), a female, is within the environmentalrange but significantly different from any ofthe other individuals from Pharsala.The plot that presents 87Sr/86Sr isotope

values against strontium concentration (1/Sr ppm *103) strengthens the case for out-liers at Pharsala (Figure 8). Group A,identified as local, between the two end-members FS15w (0.7090, lacustrinedeposits) and FS04w/FS11s (0.7082/0.7088, alluvium deposits), appears tohave used the valley and the water of theriver Enipeas to produce their food. Theriver Apidanos (FS03s,w) probably did notinfluence the isotopic range of humangroup A, which exhibits a significant dif-ference (Table 2, Figure 4). In contrast,the individuals of group B, who were also

Figure 8. 87Sr/86Sr ratios of human enamel and environmental samples from Pharsala plotted againstthe Sr concentration of the samples. The black thick line indicates the seawater 87Sr/86Sr value. Thelocal 87Sr/86Sr ratios are indicated by the environmental end-members: dashed black line. The blackarrow shows the enamel and the dentine of the same sample. The letters F, and I indicate the sex of theindividuals from which these samples were taken (F: Female, I: Indeterminate sex). The codes besidethe environmental samples are the sample names in Table 2. The error for Sr isotopes at 2sd is withinthe symbol.

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buried in the same area, seem to have con-sumed in their youth food grown in anarea with a geological substrate that is notpresent in this geological framework and,therefore, not represented by any environ-mental sample (be it water or snail shell)taken for this study.Individual D can be considered local

because an environmental sample providesa very low 87Sr/86Sr value (FS07w =0.7078). This water sample has been col-lected from an area that is close to ophio-lite (volcanic rock) with low 87Sr/86Srvalues. This spring water represents theisotope values of the food and wateringested by this individual from such ageological formation. Furthermore, thedentine, which is prone to post-mortemuptake of soil strontium during burial and,thus, provides an indication of the localenvironment (Montgomery et al., 2007),has very low 87Sr/86Sr values and is veryclose to the enamel 87Sr/86Sr value of indi-vidual D, indicating that this individual islocal. However, because snail shells fromthis ophiolite formation have not been ana-lysed, we cannot discuss the origin of thestrontium of this individual in more detail.Human groups B and C are considered

non-local. Group B exhibits values similarto seawater and could indicate a group ofcoastal origin, like Voulokaliva. On theother hand, the humans from Chloe, whichis not close to the sea, also exhibit valuescomparable to seawater values (Figure 5).The mixing of two or more geologicalsources coupled with atmospheric depos-ition in the form of rainwater may producean average value that is close to, but has noconnection with, seawater. Given this equi-finality of the data and sources, it is notpossible to identify a place of origin for theindividuals in these groups, nor to associatethem definitely with Vouloklaiva or Chloe.Lastly, the outliers of group C originatefrom a region with high Sr biospherevalues, which are not supported by the local

bedrock of Pharsala or any other siteincluded in this study.

POPULATION MOVEMENTS IN THE EARLY

IRON AGE

Chloe’s environmental and human results aswell as the archaeological data support eachother well. The narrow spread of humanstrontium isotope values around the meanenvironmental value suggests that the grouprepresented by these data had potentiallyexplored most of the surrounding food andwater sources over a distance of some 5 km,as mentioned in the sampling paragraphabove. This group also shared funerarycustoms following the traditional Mycenaeanway, which suggests that perhaps they sharedthe same cultural background and socialstatus as well, in other words that they werecontinuing local practices.The majority of the humans from

Voulokaliva lie mostly around the seawatervalue, as expected in a coastal population(Bentley, 2006). In contrast, the three indi-viduals with lower values indicate a reducedmarine contribution and values that aredominated by either ophiolites or lime-stones. The two lowest values (12-HaVo/w-c7/ind2 and 13-HaVo/w-c7/ind1)belong to two individuals (a male and afemale) who were buried together in a cistof the Sub-Mycenaean period. A third indi-vidual (11-HaVo/e-cc8/ind1) was buried ina circular construction of the EarlyProtogeometric period. Based on thepottery sequence, the individuals with thelowest values are represented in the earliestburials. This could indicate either a changein land exploitation from the Sub-Mycenaean period to the Protogeometric ora move from sedimentary rocks to a locationcloser to the coast (HL18). Since the EarlyIron Age is a period still inadequatelystudied, we cannot (yet) decide in favour ofone or the other alternative.

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The two groups (A and B) detected bystrontium isotope analysis at Pharsala arealso identifiable in the archaeological evi-dence. While the individuals of group Awere buried in Site 1, the individuals ofgroup B were buried in the distant tholoiof Site 2. However, only the burial loca-tion suggests a difference between theseisotopically distinct groups. Other aspectsof burial practices, such as tomb typesand treatment, are similar in both burialgroups, suggesting that, although group Bconsisted of non-locals, they came from aculturally comparable region.The lower strontium isotope value (D),

supported by a sole water sample, couldindicate residence or use of foods producedin this area because no other geologicalformation in the valley yielded such a lowvalue. Alternatively, this could be a non-local individual that coincidentally exhib-ited local values. This individual is afemale, buried under a tumulus in thecemetery among local individuals, and isnot differentiated from group A. The sameoccurs for the two high outliers (group C).They were both buried in Site 1 amonglocals; one was a female in a burial enclos-ure and the other an indeterminate indi-vidual in a cist. These three individualsmay provide evidence for the practice ofexogamy (because of their non-local prov-enance), but nevertheless were apparentlyintegrated within the local community.

CONCLUSIONS

The observations and conclusions of thestrontium isotope analysis indicate that thethree sites in Thessaly show clear humanisotopic groups, although there are overlapsof 87Sr/86Sr environmental values betweenthe sites. Chloe appears to provide evidenceof indigenous burials. In contrast, whileVoulokaliva appears to consist largely oflocal individuals, the archaeological and

isotopic evidence suggests that three indivi-duals from the Sub-Mycenaean and EarlyProtogeometric period were obtaining foodsfrom the wider area of Halos or came fromelsewhere within that area. In Pharsala, onthe other hand, non-local individuals havebeen detected, possibly originating from aregion that is geologically and isotopically,but not necessarily culturally, distinguish-able. These individuals were buried amonglocals as well as in separate locations.The method we have employed to

answer the questions set out at the begin-ning of this article has identified individualsof non-local origin and movement eitherwithin the same region or even over longerdistances during the Early Iron Age.However, the place of origin of thesepeople is not easily distinguishable, and itis very difficult to reach definite conclu-sions, especially in a region with such adiverse geological history and bedrock but alimited range of biosphere strontium iso-topes. What is surprising, perhaps, is that,even in this geological setting, clear isotopicgroupings of humans are detectable. Thissuggests that the groups at Voulokaliva andPharsala followed formalized and geo-graphically constrained food productionand procurement strategies. Exhaustivestudies of the geological formations oflikely areas, along with a more systematicarchaeological investigation of possibleregions of origin, are clearly necessary.Our integrated analysis revealed another

interesting practice. A group of non-localsin Pharsala was buried in a traditionalMycenaean manner and not in an innova-tive way, as might be expected. In Chloe,on the other hand, traditional Mycenaeanburial rites were practised by locals.Therefore, the newcomers could have comefrom a region not necessarily very far from,or outside, Thessaly, and possibly culturallysimilar. However, we cannot definitelyexclude the possibility that these individualswere claiming status and kin relations

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through the adoption of traditional funerarypractices. In addition, the presence of new-comers does not necessarily indicate changein the local tradition. It appears that culturalassimilation must have occurred to someextent. Three potentially non-local indivi-duals in Pharsala were buried in gravesalongside locals, indicating perhaps thatthey or their descendants had adopted localfunerary and cultural practices.As to the individuals buried with innova-

tive practices, they are consistent with localorigins, but the equifinality inherent in stron-tium isotope data means that origins else-where in a region characterized by the sameisotope ratios cannot be definitively ruledout. The diversity observed among the localpopulations indicates that social variation anddifferentiation could have played a significantrole here. This aspect has been extensivelydiscussed by Panagiotopoulou et al. (2016)and Panagiotopoulou et al. (forthcoming).The present article provides the first evidenceof burial diversity associated with the pres-ence of individuals of different geographicalprovenance. Large-scale population move-ments have not been detected; and mobilityamong these populations was likely to havebeen rather smaller-scale, reflecting themovement of individuals or families. Thepresence of both local and non-local indivi-duals in the same community is evident inthe great diversity of Early Iron Age burialpractices. The non-locals, however, did notnecessarily bring about a change from trad-itional to new practices. Rather, they indicatethat small-scale movement took place in theEarly Iron Age for various purposes, such asexogamy or, perhaps, the relocation of entirefamilies, potentially within a common cul-tural environment.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank INSTAP(Institute of Aegean Prehistory) for

funding the analysis presented here.Furthermore, we thank the StichtingPhilologisch Studiefonds Utrecht forfunding a research trip to Greece to collectthe archaeological data and the environ-mental samples. Last, but not least, weacknowledge the cooperation of the peoplefrom the local offices of the GreekArchaeological Service and the permitsgranted to access and sample the materialfor this project.

REFERENCES

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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Eleni Panagiotopoulou attended theChemistry and Material Science MSc pro-gramme at the University of Ioannina inGreece, where she focused on analyticalmethods for human remains to investigatecrucial archaeological questions. In her PhDresearch, she combined the isotope analysisof human tissues for diet reconstructionand population movements with the con-textual analysis of mortuary data to investi-gate the social structure in Early Iron AgeGreece.

Address: Eleni Panagiotopoulou, Instituteof Archaeology, University of Groningen,Poststraat 6, 9712ER, Groningen, TheNetherlands. [email: [email protected]]

Janet Montgomery is an AssociateProfessor (Reader) in ArchaeologicalScience at the Department ofArchaeology, Durham University. Sheobtained her NERC-funded doctorate in2002 at the University of Bradford, focus-ing on the application of combined radio-genic lead and strontium isotope analysisto British archaeological humans. She hasbeen a NERC Postdoctoral Fellow andLecturer in Archaeological Science at theUniversity of Bradford.

Address: Janet Montgomery, Departmentof Archaeology, Durham University,Durham, DH1 3LE, UK. [email: [email protected]]

Geoff Nowell is a Senior Research Officerin the Department of Earth Sciences atDurham University. He gained his PhDin 1993 and, until his present position, hehas worked as a postdoctoral researcherand scientific officer at Durham

University, the NERC IsotopeGeosciences Laboratories (NIGL), andthe University of Bristol. He is a specialistin multi-collector plasma ionization andthermal ionization mass spectrometry.

Address: Geoff Nowell, Department ofEarth Sciences, Durham University, SouthRoad, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK. [email:[email protected]]

Joanne Peterkin is a Research LaboratoryTechnician at the Department of EarthSciences at Durham University. Her MScwas on Environmental Biogeochemistry atTyne University, Newcastle.

Address: Joanne Peterkin, Department ofEarth Sciences, Durham University, SouthRoad, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK. [email: [email protected]]

Argiro Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou is DirectorEmerita of the Ephorate of Antiquities ofMagnesia and the excavator and researcherof the site of Chloe. Her PhD researchwas on Thessalian epigraphy.

Address: Argiro Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou,Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Ephorate ofAntiquities of Magnesia, Athanasaki 1,380 01, Volos, Greece. [email: [email protected]]

Polixeni Arachoviti is an archaeologistworking in the Ephorate of Antiquities ofMagnesia and the excavator and researcherof the site of Chloe.

Address: Polixeni Arachoviti, HellenicMinistry of Culture, Ephorate ofAntiquities of Magnesia, Athanasaki 1,380 01, Volos, Greece. [email: [email protected]]

610 European Journal of Archaeology 21 (4) 2018

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Stiliani Katakouta is an archaeologistworking in the Ephorate of Antiquities ofLarisa and the excavator and researcher ofthe site of Pharsala. Her current PhDresearch is on Hellenistic Greece.

Address: Stiliani Katakouta, HellenicMinistry of Culture, Ephorate ofAntiquities of Larisa, Mezourlo, 41500,Larisa, Greece. [email: [email protected]]

Fotini Tsiouka is an archaeologist working inthe Ephorate of Antiquities of Karditsa andthe excavator and researcher of the site ofVoulokaliva. Her MA dissertation was on theEarly Iron Age burial practices of Voulokaliva.

Address: Fotini Tsiouka, Hellenic Ministryof Culture, Ephorate of Antiquities ofKarditsa, Loukianou 1, 431 00, Karditsa,Greece. [email: [email protected]]

L’analyse des isotopes du strontium au service de la recherche sur la mobilité enThessalie à l’âge du Fer

Dans cet article nous examinons les données concernant les mouvements de population en Thessalie en Grèceau début de l’âge du Fer (époque protogéométrique, XIe–IXe siècles av. J.-C.). La méthode choisie pourdéceler la présence d’individus allochtones est l’analyse des isotopes du strontium (87Sr/86Sr) préservé danl’email dentaire combinée ici avec une analyse contextuelle des pratiques funéraires et l’analyse ostéologiquedes restes humains. L’époque protogéométrique vit une série de transformations sociales et culturelles alorsque la société se remettait de la désintégration de la civilisation mycénienne (XIIe siècle av. J.-C.). L’étudedes nécropoles de Voulokaliva, Chloe et Pharsala en Thessalie méridionale démontre que des individusétrangers intégrés aux communautés étudiées ont contribué à la diversité des pratiques funéraires et ontainsi participé à l’évolution de l’organisation sociale. Translation by Madeleine Hummler

Mots-clés: âge du Fer ancien, analyses des isotopes du strontium, mouvements de population,Thessalie

Die Erkennung der Bevölkerungsmobilität in Thessalien in der frühen Eisenzeitdurch die Analyse der Strontium Isotopen

In diesem Artikel werden die Angaben über Bevölkerungsbewegungen in Thessalien in Griechenland inder früheisenzeitlichen protogeometrischen Periode (11. bis 9. Jh. v. Chr.) untersucht. Die Methode, diewir gewählt haben, um nicht-einheimische Individuen zu erkennen, ist die Analyse von 87Sr/86SrStrontium Isotopen im Zahnschmelz. Diese Untersuchung wird hier mit einer kontextuellen Auswertungder Bestattungssitten und einer Analyse der menschlichen Skelettreste verbunden. In protogeometrischerZeit haben mehrere soziale und kulturelle Veränderungen stattgefunden, als die Gesellschaft sich vomZerfall der mykenischen Zivilisation (12. Jh. v. Chr.) erholte. Die Auswertung der Gräberfelder vonVoulokaliva, Chloe und Pharsala im Süden von Thessalien hat gezeigt, dass die nicht-einheimischenIndividuen in diesen Gemeinschaften zur Vielfalt der Bestattungssitten und zur Entwicklung der sozia-len Organisation der Gesellschaft beigetragen haben. Translation by Madeleine Hummler

Stichworte: frühe Eisenzeit, Griechenland, Analyse der Strontium Isotopen,Bevölkerungsbewegungen, Thessalien

Panagiotopoulou et al. – Detecting Mobility in Early Iron Age Thessaly by Strontium Isotope Analysis 611

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