title: Tracing the dynamic life story of a Bronze Age Female.
abstract: Ancient human mobility at the individual level is conventionally studied by the diverse application of suitable techniques (e.g. aDNA, radiogenic strontium isotopes, as well as oxygen and lead isotopes) to either hard and/or soft tissues. However, the limited preservation of coexisting hard and soft human tissues hampers the possibilities of investigating high-resolution diachronic mobility periods in the life of a single individual. Here, we present the results of a multidisciplinary study of an exceptionally well preserved circa 3.400-year old Danish Bronze Age female find, known as the Egtved Girl. We applied biomolecular, biochemical and geochemical analyses to reconstruct her mobility and diet. We demonstrate that she originated from a place outside present day Denmark (the island of Bornholm excluded), and that she travelled back and forth over large distances during the final months of her life, while consuming a terrestrial diet with intervals of reduced protein intake. We also provide evidence that all her garments were made of non-locally produced wool. Our study advocates the huge potential of combining biomolecular and biogeochemical provenance tracer analyses to hard and soft tissues of a single ancient individual for the reconstruction of high-resolution human mobility.
authors.affiliation: 1] National Museum of Denmark, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, DK-1220, Copenhagen K, Denmark [2] Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research (CTR), SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen, Amagerfaelledvej 56, Copenhagen 2300, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karin Margarita
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Frei
authors.affiliation: 1] National Museum of Denmark, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, DK-1220, Copenhagen K, Denmark [2] Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research (CTR), SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen, Amagerfaelledvej 56, Copenhagen 2300, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mannering
authors.affiliation: Institute for Historical Studies, University of Gothenburg, Box 200, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.affiliation: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, Copenhagen 1350, Denmark.
authors.forename: Morten E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Allentoft
authors.affiliation: School of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: National Museum of Denmark, Frederiksholms Kanal 12, DK-1220, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Skals
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tridico
authors.affiliation: Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research (CTR), SAXO Institute, University of Copenhagen, Amagerfaelledvej 56, Copenhagen 2300, Denmark.
authors.forename: Marie Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nosch
authors.affiliation: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, Copenhagen 1350, Denmark.
authors.forename: Eske
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Willerslev
authors.affiliation: School of Science and the Environment, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, Copenhagen 1350, Denmark [2] Nordic Centre for Earth Evolution (NordCEE), University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 10, Copenhagen 1350, Denmark.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frei
mesh_terms: D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D009106:Mummies / Q000266:history*; D013325:Strontium Isotopes / Q000737:chemistry; D014070:Tooth / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D013325:Strontium Isotopes