The high temperatures reached during cremation lead to the destruction of organic matter preventing the use of traditional isotopic methods for dietary reconstructions. Still, strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) and concentration ([Sr]) analyses of cremated human remains offer a novel way to assess changing consumption patterns in past populations that practiced cremation, as evidenced by a large amount of new data obtained from Metal Ages and Gallo-Roman human remains from Destelbergen, Belgium. The Gallo-Roman results show significantly higher [Sr] and a narrower interquartile range in 87Sr/86Sr (0.7093-0.7095), close to the value of modern-day seawater (0.7092). This contrasts with the Metal Ages results, which display lower concentrations and a wider range in 87Sr/86Sr (0.7094-0.7098). This typical Sr signature is also reflected in other sites and is most likely related to an introduction of marine Sr in the form of salt as a food preservative (e.g. salt-rich preserved meat, fish and fish sauce). Paradoxically, this study highlights caution is needed when using 87Sr/86Sr for palaeomobility studies in populations with high salt consumption.

Analytical Environmental and Geo Chemistry Department of Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Brussel Pleinlaan 2 1050 Brussels Belgium

Anthropology and Human Genetics Department of Biology of Organisms and Ecology Université Libre de Bruxelles CP192 Avenue F D Roosevelt 50 1050 Brussels Belgium

Centre de Recherches en Archéologie Et Patrimoine Department of History Arts and Archaeology Université Libre de Bruxelles CP133 Avenue F D Roosevelt 50 1050 Brussels Belgium

Department of Anthropology Faculty of Science Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Archaeology Ghent University Sint Pietersnieuwstraat 35 9000 Ghent Belgium

Flemish Heritage Agency Havenlaan 88 5 1000 Brussels Belgium

G Time Laboratory Department of Geosciences Environment and Society Université Libre de Bruxelles CP160 02 Avenue F D Roosevelt 50 1050 Brussels Belgium

Maritime Cultures Research Institute Department of Art Sciences and Archaeology Vrije Universiteit Brussel Pleinlaan 2 1050 Brussels Belgium

Radiocarbon Dating Lab Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage Jubelpark 1 1000 Brussels Belgium

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