Revealing continuity and sustainability through isotope analysis on the A14 project, Cambridgeshire, UK

The A14 archaeological project was the largest commercial archaeological programme in the UK - spanning a 25 km stretch of rural Cambridgeshire, which included a pioneering and ambitious multi-isotope programme to examine crop, livestock and human remains. The resulting dataset spans the Bronze Age to medieval period, incorporating settlements spread across multiple landscape blocks. Our focus on the Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods reveals a remarkable continuity in agricultural practices, diet and provenance. This isotopic homogeneity suggests a persistence of local traditions despite macro-economic and socio-political shifts. Subtle variations within this pattern, however, offer unique insights into individuals who deviated from the norm, hinting at the growing influence of external connections and market economies on these past communities. This study underscores the value of integrating multi-isotope analysis in large-scale commercial archaeological projects, and the rich narrative that emerges from collaborative efforts between commercial and academic researchers. • A large-scale multi-isotope, multi-proxy analysis programme part of the commercial A14 archaeological project. • The study reveals an emphasis on continuity from the Iron Age through to the medieval period in Cambridgeshire, UK. • The greatest level of innovation was in crop agriculture, although all periods had an emphasis on high fertility farming. • Animal husbandry practices and human diet were especially homogenous across all periods. • Despite the overall pattern of consistency, isotope analysis reveals unusual life histories for some individuals.