New rites, local lives: Strontium isotope analysis of cremated human remains from the Late Iron Age cemetery at Westhampnett, West Sussex, UK

Abstract

The emergence of cremation burial during the Late Iron Age in southern Britain (c.150 BCE − AD 43) occurred during a period of social and cultural transformation. Increased cross-channel connections are evident from similarities in funerary practice but, in the absence of preserved DNA, investigating whether these affinities might be directly linked to human mobility or more general cultural contact remains challenging. This paper presents the first strontium isotope analysis (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) of Iron Age cremation burials in Britain. The analysis was conducted on 31 individuals from cremation burials at the Late Iron Age cemetery of Westhampnett, West Sussex, United Kingdom. Contrary to previous interpretations based on funerary treatment and grave goods, the isotope results suggest that the cremated individuals were predominantly local and the narrow range of isotopic variation indicates a homogenous group, emphasising community stability. This research sheds light on social structure and mobility in Iron Age Britain.