Overview

• The study, published in PLOS ONE, analyzed 29 cremated petrous bones from five Late Bronze Age burial sites near Seddin, including the 9th-century BCE Wickbold I mound.
• Compared with a regional baseline derived from surface waters, only 2 of 22 individuals matched local 87Sr/86Sr ranges, indicating a strong prevalence of non-locals.
• Isotopic signatures align with likely childhood origins in south Scandinavia, parts of Central Europe, and possibly northern Italy.
• Baseline evaluation found modern water and archaeological soils best captured local bioavailable strontium, while modern soils and plants were unreliable due to carbonate leaching or recent contamination.
• Authors emphasize that results reflect monumental elite burials rather than the general population and interpret the area as a connectivity hub between about 900 and 700 BCE.