"Isotope data (C, N, S, O, Sr, Pb) from human, plant and animal remains Romano-Byzantine Ibida

Abstract

The Ibida fortress (Doburdja, Romania) served as a critical urban hub supporting the lower Danubian limes in Late Antiquity (4th-6th century CE). Previous studies identified an unusual secondary commingled deposit (M141) containing the remains of adult males, females and non-adults against the extra-mural aspect of the fortress, interpreting this as possible evidence of a ‘massacre of outsiders’. A reassessment of the remains from deposit M141, applying archaeothanatology, osteology, isotopic analysis, and proteomic analysis, reveals a much less sinister narrative that likely explains their unusual deposition. Osteological re-assessment identified minimal perimortem trauma and archaeothanatological assessment confirmed the secondary nature of the deposit, with remains on at least 37 individuals relocated at least one century post-mortem. Amelogenin peptide analysis identified an equal proportion of male and probable female individuals in M141. Multi-isotope analysis comparing M141 to the contemporary general necropolis and high-status chamber tomb from the same site identified few non-local individuals across the site; however, dietary practices were varied, identifying a large number of C4 consumers in deposit M141. Results suggest the inhabiting population at Ibida was culturally diverse evidenced through dietary and mobility reconstructions, reflecting the mixture of many cultural groups along the limes throughout late antiquity, while the remains were unfortunately disturbed from their original resting places by construction efforts to re-fortify the frontier in the 6th century CE.

Keywords

• biorchaeology
• multi-isotope analysis
• commingled remains
• roman period