Locali și non-locali în provincia Scythia și în Barbaricum. Discuții despre valorile izotopilor de stronțiu și oxigen
Locals and non-locals in the Province of Scythia and in Barbaricum. Discussion of Strontium and Oxygen Isotope Values

Summary/Abstract: The analysis of strontium and oxygen stable isotopes represents an unprecedented approach in Romanian archaeology, particularly with regard to the Roman–Byzantine period in the ancient province of Scythia and the Migration Period associated with territories inhabited by barbarian groups. This research aims to analyse the isotope values from 29 samples in Dobrogea, attributed to the Romans, and 29 samples from Muntenia, 9 from Transylvania, and 6 from Banat, attributed to the barbarians. Mortuary discoveries from the Roman Empire, when compared to those from the barbarian world, have revealed distinct preferences between the two cultures. Additionally, it has become possible to identify graves south of the Danube that can be linked to individuals from the north. In conjunction with the archaeological context of each site, the geology of the surrounding area also plays a significant role in the study of mobility through isotopes. By understanding the local values of these two chemical elements—strontium in the soil and oxygen in precipitation—we can determine which individuals lived in a specific area and which did not. The findings reveal the presence of both autochthonous individuals and migrants originating from other regions, particularly from areas located north of the Danube. This finding corroborates historical accounts of population movements in the Lower Danube from that period.

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