From Stones to Bones: Isotopic Analysis Confirms Neolithic Mobility at Stonehenge

Introduction

Stonehenge's bluestones, sourced from the Preseli Hills in west Wales, over 200 miles away, have long suggested significant inter-regional connectivity. A seminal 2018 study by Snoeck et al., published in Scientific Reports (Strontium isotope analysis on cremated human remains from Stonehenge support links with west Wales), used strontium and carbon isotope analysis to propose that not only stones but also cremated human remains were transported to Stonehenge, indicating complex social and ritual practices. A recent 2024 study by the same lead researcher, Dr. Christophe Snoeck, published in PLOS ONE (Understanding intra-individual isotopic variability in modern cremated human remains for forensic and archaeological studies), investigates isotopic variability in modern cremated remains, offering insights that validate the methodologies used in the Stonehenge research. This article uses the 2024 study as a foundation to assess the reliability of the 2018 findings, integrating comparisons with other studies to contextualize Neolithic mobility patterns.

The 2018 Stonehenge Study: A Foundation for Understanding Mobility

The 2018 study analyzed 25 cremated individuals from Stonehenge, focusing on strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) and carbon (δ¹³C) isotope ratios in calcined bone. Strontium isotopes, which reflect the geological environment of an individual’s food sources, indicated that at least 10 individuals (40%) had ratios (0.7091–0.7118) inconsistent with the Wessex chalk (0.7074–0.7090), aligning instead with west Wales as one possibility, the source of Stonehenge’s bluestones. Carbon isotope analysis provided further evidence: non-local individuals exhibited lower δ¹³C values, suggesting cremation in denser woodlands typical of Wales, while locals had higher δ¹³C values, consistent with open landscapes like the Wessex chalk downlands. Given that 40–95% of carbon in cremated bone derives from pyre wood, these differences likely reflect environmental conditions of cremation rather than diet, which was relatively homogeneous in Neolithic Britain (C₃ terrestrial system).

Isotope Signature Matrix for Stonehenge Cremated Remains

	High δ¹³C (Open landscapes, e.g., chalk downland wood)	Low δ¹³C (Dense woodlands, e.g., Welsh woodland wood)
Low Sr (Local Wessex chalk) 0.7074–0.7090	Local remains cremated locally ~15 individuals	Very rare/none (No evidence for local remains cremated with woodland fuel)
High Sr (Non-local, West Wales) 0.7091–0.7118	Very rare/none (No evidence for non-locals cremated with local fuel)	Non-local remains cremated in west Wales and brought to Stonehenge ~10 individuals

---

The study concluded that these non-local individuals were likely cremated in west Wales before their remains were transported to Stonehenge, paralleling the movement of the bluestones. This finding, supported by archaeological evidence, underscored Stonehenge’s role as a hub of inter-regional connectivity, where both materials and human remains were deliberately brought together, possibly for ritual or communal purposes.

The 2024 Study: Refining the Methodology

The 2024 study by Snoeck et al. investigates isotopic variability in 14 modern cremated individuals from the UTK Donated Skeletal Collection, analyzing carbon (δ¹³C), oxygen (δ¹⁸O), and strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) isotopes, along with strontium concentrations and infrared indices, across different skeletal elements (petrous part of the temporal bone, femur, and rib). Key findings include:

• Carbon and Oxygen Isotopes: Variability in δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O reflects differences in cremation conditions, such as fuel type (natural gas in modern crematoria vs. wood in archaeological contexts) and temperature (800–1100°C). Modern cremations showed higher δ¹³C values due to the organic carbon pool and natural gas, contrasting with lower values in archaeological remains using wood.
• Strontium Isotopes: The petrous bone, which does not remodel after childhood, preserves a reliable childhood strontium signal, making it ideal for determining birthplace, especially in older individuals. However, ribs and femurs in recent individuals showed a narrow strontium range (0.7088–0.7100) due to globalized food systems, limiting their use for modern forensic provenance studies.
• Intra-Individual Variability: Different skeletal elements exhibit varying isotope signatures due to bone turnover rates, with ribs reflecting recent diet, femurs a longer period, and the petrous bone a childhood signal.
• Archaeological Relevance: The study confirms that calcined bone’s high crystallinity prevents post-burial strontium exchange, validating its use in archaeological studies like Stonehenge, where regional dietary differences were more pronounced.

By demonstrating the reliability of strontium isotope analysis in calcined bone, particularly the petrous bone, the 2024 study reinforces the methodological foundation of the 2018 Stonehenge research. The contrast between ancient and modern isotopic signals—clear regional differences in the Neolithic versus homogenized signals today—further supports the 2018 findings, where distinct strontium ratios linked non-local individuals to west Wales.

Comparisons with Other Neolithic Studies

To assess the broader reliability of the 2018 Stonehenge findings, comparisons with other studies using isotopic analysis on cremated remains are essential:

• Ireland (Parknabinnia, 2020): A study on the Parknabinnia court tomb in Co. Clare, published in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (Isotopic evidence for changing mobility and landscape use patterns), analyzed four cremated individuals, all identified as non-local based on strontium isotopes. Carbon isotope (δ¹³C) analysis was used to explore cremation rituals, not mobility, due to thermal alteration affecting dietary signals. The study suggests mobility and tomb re-use in the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age, paralleling Stonehenge’s evidence of transported remains, though δ¹³C was not used for geographic origins.
• Northern Ireland (2016): Research published in Journal of Archaeological Science (Mobility during the Neolithic and Bronze Age) used strontium isotopes on cremated remains from five sites, indicating non-local food consumption at sites like Ballynahatty. δ¹³C was not emphasized for mobility, focusing instead on ritual practices, similar to the Irish study.
• Germany (2020): A pilot study on cremated teeth from Vollmarshausen, published in Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (A strontium isotope pilot study), found most individuals were local based on strontium isotopes, with no δ¹³C analysis for movement, highlighting the dominance of strontium in mobility studies.

These studies confirm that strontium isotopes are the primary tool for tracing mobility in cremated remains, with δ¹³C typically used for cremation practices rather than geographic origins, except in the Stonehenge case. The unique application of δ¹³C in the 2018 study to infer cremation environments (woodland vs. open landscapes) sets it apart, but the consistency of non-local individuals across regions supports the broader concept of Neolithic mobility.

Reliability and Limitations

The 2024 study strengthens the reliability of the 2018 Stonehenge findings by validating the use of strontium isotopes in calcined bone, particularly the petrous bone, for archaeological provenance studies. The high crystallinity of calcined bone, as confirmed in both studies, ensures minimal post-burial contamination, making it a robust medium for isotopic analysis. The 2024 paper’s findings on δ¹³C variability due to cremation conditions align with the 2018 study’s use of δ¹³C to distinguish cremation environments, further supporting the interpretation that non-local remains were cremated in Wales.

However, limitations exist:

• Modern vs. Ancient Contexts: The 2024 study highlights that globalized food systems reduce the effectiveness of strontium isotopes for modern forensic studies, but this does not apply to Neolithic contexts, where regional differences were clear, as seen in Stonehenge.
• δ¹³C Interpretation: The use of δ¹³C for mobility, as in Stonehenge, is less common elsewhere, where it is primarily used for ritual analysis. This suggests that the Stonehenge study’s approach is innovative but requires further validation across other sites.
• Sample Size and Scope: The 2018 study’s sample of 25 individuals is robust but limited to Stonehenge, and broader application to other Neolithic sites could strengthen the findings.

No significant controversies challenge the 2018 study’s conclusions, and the 2024 paper’s methodological advancements enhance confidence in its results. The absence of contradictory studies in recent literature (up to May 28, 2025) further supports its reliability.

Broader Implications

The combined evidence from the 2018 and 2024 studies, alongside comparisons with other Neolithic research, underscores Stonehenge’s role as a cultural and ritual hub in Neolithic Britain. The movement of both bluestones and cremated remains from west Wales suggests strong social ties, possibly reflecting shared identities or pilgrimage practices. The 2019 study on animal remains at nearby sites, published in Science Advances (Multi-isotope analysis reveals that feasts), identified pigs with strontium values consistent with west Wales, further supporting inter-regional connectivity.

The 2024 study’s insights into isotopic variability highlight the interdisciplinary nature of archaeological science, combining chemistry, anthropology, and archaeology to reconstruct past societies. Future research could explore additional isotopic proxies (e.g., oxygen isotopes) or expand δ¹³C analysis to other Neolithic sites to confirm its utility for mobility studies.

Conclusion

The 2024 study by Snoeck et al. serves as a critical validation of the methodologies used in the 2018 Stonehenge study, confirming the reliability of strontium isotope analysis for tracing ancient mobility. By demonstrating the robustness of calcined bone analysis and the distinct isotopic signals in archaeological contexts, the 2024 paper strengthens the evidence that Stonehenge was a focal point for distant communities, where both stones and cremated remains were transported from west Wales. Comparisons with studies in Ireland and elsewhere reveal a broader pattern of Neolithic mobility, though the innovative use of δ¹³C in the Stonehenge study remains unique. Together, these findings illuminate the complex social networks of Neolithic Britain, with Stonehenge as a testament to the enduring connections between people, places, and materials.

Key Citations

• Strontium isotope analysis on cremated human remains from Stonehenge support links with west Wales
• Understanding intra-individual isotopic variability in modern cremated human remains for forensic and archaeological studies
• Isotopic evidence for changing mobility and landscape use patterns between the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in western Ireland
• Mobility during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Northern Ireland
• A strontium isotope pilot study using cremated teeth from the Vollmarshausen cemetery, Hesse, Germany
• Multi-isotope analysis reveals that feasts in the Stonehenge environs and across Wessex drew people and animals from throughout Britain