18 Tooth enamel from six cattle mandibles excavated from Roman deposits at The Hive 19 development site, Worcester (mid-2 nd to early 4 th century AD) was subjected to 20 strontium, oxygen and carbon isotope analyses ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, δ 18 O and δ 13 C) to 21 investigate the movement of cattle into Worcester, a purported regional cattle market, 22 during the Roman period. Strontium isotope ratios show that none of the cattle were 23 born and bred in close proximity to Worcester and arrived as mature beasts some time 24 before death. Whilst two are consistent with origins in the region of Old Red 25 Sandstone of Herefordshire to the west, the unusually high strontium isotope ratios of 26 four of the cattle (i.e. >0.714) show that they originated in a region of ancient or 27 radiogenic rocks such as granites which are found only in the west and north of 28 Britain (e.g. Wales, the Lake District and northern Scotland) based on the currently 29 available biosphere data. Comparison of the oxygen and carbon isotope values also 30 suggests that the cattle were not from the same herd, but interpretation is complicated 31 by the lack of comparative cattle data for the Roman period as well as other time 32 periods. The severe wear of the molars from the aged cattle in this study also limits 33 the interpretation of the results. More isotopic analyses are needed from other British 34 sites in order to fully understand the implications of cattle movement into urban 35 centres during the Roman period. 36 37
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