Mobility of interred individuals at Neolithic tombs in Wales using sulfur (δ34S) bone collagen isotope values and a predictive archaeological sulfur isoscape for the UK

Abstract We measured human bone collagen sulfur isotope values of 27 Neolithic humans from five early Neolithic (fourth millennium cal BC) tombs in south Wales, UK (Heston Brake, Parc le Breos Cwm, Penywyrlod, Tinkinswood and Ty Isaf). To determine whether individuals interred within these tombs were ‘local’ to the area or ‘non-local’, their values were compared to a random forest collagen δ34S isoscape map that was developed from archaeological fauna from across the UK using the R package ‘AssignR’. All individuals within the sample are probably local to Wales, but four of five sites had individuals that may be considered ‘non-local’ to the region where the tomb was located. We then compared the δ34S collagen isoscape to a δ34S modern plant isoscape. In some regions, there are large differences between the collagen isoscape and modern plant isoscape that may be due to modern pollution or anthropogenic changes to the landscape that may impact bacteria in soil or the local sulfur cycle.