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Mycenae Revisited Part 2. Exploring the Local versus Non-local Geographical Origin of the Individuals from Grave Circle A: Evidence from Strontium Isotope Ratio (87Sr/86Sr) Analysis1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 June 2011

Argyro Nafplioti
Argyro Nafplioti
Affiliation:
Wiener Laboratory, ASCSA
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Abstract

Strontium isotope ratio (87Sr/86Sr) analysis was applied to dental enamel samples from eleven adults from Grave Circle A at Mycenae in order to investigate their local versus non-local geographical origin. The results of this analysis suggest a relatively high intra-sample variation in 87Sr/86Sr values for the Grave Circle A Mycenaeans. Based on these results, only two individuals may be identified as locals at Mycenae. Of the other nine individuals, three may be identified as non-locals at this site. Because two of these are the only females from Grave Circle A tested for 87Sr/86Sr it is tentatively suggested that this finding may reflect marital patterns and the non-local origin of the females associated with high social ranking at Mycenae. However, owing to the paucity of data on the biologically available strontium at sites in the Aegean, it cannot be established with certainty whether the individuals identified as non-locals originated a few dozen or hundreds of kilometres away from Mycenae. Finally, conclusions on the local versus non-local origin of the remaining six individuals are tentative. Their ratios may equally to a non-local origin reflect a variegated diet that comprised ‘non-local’ amongst ‘local’ foodstuffs, which would not be unexpected for a Mycenaean palace economy of the ‘redistributive’ type.

Η ανάλυση της ισοτοπικής αναλογίας του στροντίου (87Sr/86Sr) εφαρμόστηκε σε δείγματα οδοντικού σμάλτου από έντεκα ενήλικες από τον Ταφικό Κύκλο Α στις Μυκήνες προκειμένου να διερευνυθεί η τοπική ή μη-τοπική γεωγραφική τους προέλευση. Σύμφωνα με τα απολέσματα των αναλύσεων παρατηρείται υψηλή ενδο-πληθυσμνακή ποικιλότητα σε 87Sr/86Sr τιμές για τους Μυκηναίους από τον Ταφικό Κύκλο Α. Μόνο δύο από τα εξεταστένθα άτομα ταυτοποιήθηκαν ως αυτόχθονες στις Μυκήνες. Από τα υπόλοιπα εννέα, τρία άτομα χαρακτηρίστηκαν επήλυδες. Επειδή τα δύο από τα τρία αυτά άτομα είναι οι μόνες γυναίκες από τον Ταφικό Κύκλο Α, στις οποίες έγινε δειγματοληψία για την ανάλυση της ισοτοπικής αναλογίας του στροντίου, με επιφύλαξη προτείνεται ότι τα απολέσματα που παρουσιάζονται εδώ είναι πιθανό να αντικατοπτρίζουν γαμήλιες πρακτικές και τη μη-τοπική προέλευση των γυναικών από τα ανώτερα κοννωνικά στρώματα στις Μυκήνες. Ωστόσο, λόγω του εξαιρετικά μνκρού αριθμού δεδομένων για το βιολογικά διαθέσιμο στρόντιο σε θέσεις του Αιγαιακού χώρου, δεν είναι δυνατό να καθοριστεί με βεβαιότητα ο τόπος προέλευσής τους, ο οποίος μπορεί να απέχει μερικές δεκάδες ή εκατοντάδες χιλιόμετρα απο τις Μυκήνες. Τέλος, λιγότερο σαφή είναι τα συμπεράσματα για την προέλευση των υπόλοιπων έξι εξεταστέντων ατόμων. Οι τιμές 87Sr/86Sr είναι δυνατόν σε συνδυασμό με μια μη-τοπική καταγωγή των εν λόγω ατόμων να αντικατοπτρίζουν ποικιλία ‘τοπικών’ και ‘μη-τοπικών’ τροφών στη δίαιτά τους. Το συμπέρασμα αυτό δε μας ξαφνιάζει σε μια οικονομία του ‘αναδιανεμητικού’ τύπου, στον οποίο υποστηρίζεται πως ανήκει η Μυκηναϊκή οικονομία της ανακτορικής εποχής.

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Articles
Information
Annual of the British School at Athens , Volume 104 , November 2009 , pp. 279 - 291
Copyright
Copyright © The Council, British School at Athens 2009

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