Consideration of Freshwater and Multiple Marine Reservoir Effects: Dating of Individuals with Mixed Diets from Northern Sweden

Abstract

Human burials from the cemetery at the Rounala church, northern Sweden, were radiocarbon (14C) dated to shed light on the use of the cemetery. Carbon, nitrogen and sulfur stable isotope analysis of bone collagen from 19 distinct individuals indicated that these individuals had a mixed diet consisting of freshwater, marine and terrestrial resources. Dietary modeling using FRUITS was employed to calculate the contributions of the different resources for each individual. These data were then used to calculate individual ΔR values, taking into account freshwater and multiple marine reservoir effects, the latter caused by Baltic and Atlantic marine dietary inputs, respectively. 14C dating of tissues from modern freshwater fish species demonstrate a lack of a freshwater reservoir effect in the area. Two OxCal models were used to provide endpoint age estimates. The calibrated data suggest that the site’s cemetery was most likely in use already from the 14th century, and perhaps until at least the late 18th century.

Food and Cultural Traits in Coastal Northern Finnmark in the 14th–19th Centuries

“…2. Carbon and nitrogen isotope values for human individuals from Gullholmen and Kirkegårdsøya as well as animal samples from Gollevárri (this study) and previously published faunal data (Berglund et al 2001, Linderholm et al 2008, Barrett et al 2011, Fjellström 2011, Nehlich et al 2013, Salmi et al 2015, Dury et al 2018. Fig.…”

“…The sites are, from south to north, Björned, Laisälven, Riebnisjaure, Unna Saiva, Könkämä Sámi Siida, Målselva, Helgøy, Kongshavn and Skonsvika (Fig. 1, Berglund et al 2001, Linderholm et al 2008, Barrett et al 2011, Fjellström 2011, Nehlich et al 2013, Salmi et al 2015, Dury et al 2018.…”

“…In this respect, individual 2c would have spent her time around the area of Gullholmen/Gollevárri during the last 3 month of her life. The modern Atlantic salmon from Målselva in Troms fylke has similar δ 34 S values to the nails but should be treated with caution (Dury et al 2018).…”

Bone dating at the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory, Croatia

“…Terrestrial animals (including humans) consuming marine biota can have δ 13 C of collagen as high as -16 ‰ (Johansen et al 1986;Ascough et al 2007Ascough et al , 2012. In order to compensate for the marine reservoir effect when radiocarbon dating, paleo/archaeodiet can be determined by combining δ 13 C with δ 15 N and δ 34 S values, and radiocarbon date can be corrected accordingly (Lightfoot et al 2014;Sayle et al 2014;Dury et al 2018).…”

Early Neolithic burials from Grumăzeşti – Deleni, Neamţ County, Romania

“…However, in other situations where regular freshwater fish consumption has been documented, the reservoir effect has been shown to be very small or non-existent (e.g. Svyatko et alii 2017;Dury et alii 2018).…”