Diet, mobility and gendered violence: Integrating multi-isotope analysis with proteomic sex identification at the bi-ritual Early Iron Age cemetery of Statzendorf, lower Austria

The Early Iron Age cemetery of Statzendorf (c. 800–400 BCE), which at discovery contained 376 burials of both cremated and inhumed individuals, offers a unique opportunity to integrate analytical approaches for these distinct burial practices. This study presents a multi-method analysis of human remains, integrating osteological, proteomic, radiocarbon, and multi-isotope data. The analysis of amelogenin peptides in 25 inhumed individuals enhanced the accuracy of sex determination, refining and correcting osteological assessments. The same and neighbouring teeth to the ones analysed for peptides were used to obtain 55 samples for isotope analysis, ensuring a securely sex-linked dataset. The analyses include carbon (δ13C), oxygen (δ18O) and strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr), and strontium concentrations ([Sr]), from dental enamel, and cremated bone. Significant differences in strontium isotope ratios were observed between males and females, alongside a correlation between strontium concentrations and social status. Women and girls were also disproportionately affected by interpersonal violence. The carbon isotope values of dental enamel revealed dietary differences, indicating that some individuals consumed more animal protein and C4 plants, such as millet. Food sources were predominantly local, reflecting the geological variation between the lowlands of the Traisen Valley and the surrounding hilly landscape. The subtle, but notable dietary variability among individuals buried at Statzendorf suggests the emergence of social stratification and increasing social complexity during the Early Iron Age in Central Europe. This study demonstrates the potential of combining cutting-edge bioarchaeological methods to analyse cremated and skeletal human remains, providing valuable insights into the lifeways, dietary practices, and mobility of an Early Iron Age community in Austria.