Strontium isotopes and human mobility in Ceramic Neolithic-Middle Chalcolithic Cyprus (ca. 5200/5000–3000/2800 BC): a pilot study

The present study discusses aspects of human mobility in Ceramic Neolithic (ca. 5200/5000–4000 BC) and Middle Chalcolithic Cyprus (ca. 3500–2800 BC) through the application of strontium isotope analysis. Small-scale intra-island movement in prehistoric Cypriot contexts is usually inferred by the circulation of finished artefacts and raw materials, while several researchers in the past supported large-scale migrations based exclusively on the ostensibly abrupt changes in the material culture. Focusing on the strontium isotopic values of sampled human teeth from sites of the Limassol district, this pilot study attempts to demonstrate the potential of this methodology for the identification of non-local individuals and/or groups. The results provide fresh insights on prehistoric mobility patterns in Cyprus, while also discussing some of the methodological limitations in archaeological contexts