The Alakul Cemetery: Formation History Based on Isotopic Analysis

This study is focused on the reconstruction of the formation mechanisms of the eponymous Alakul cemetery (Kurgan oblast, Russia), characterized by a large number of burial mounds. Modeling the chronological framework of its usage suggests a period spanning from the 1800s to 1550s BCE according to radiocarbon dating. To assess population homogeneity, isotopic analysis of δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C (n = 37), and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (n = 26) was conducted on the human and animal bone remains. This analysis identified a core of local values, as well as several individuals and animals originating from different regions and relying on different dietary systems. These instances are rare and do not constitute a distinct population group, a pattern consistent with other Bronze Age sites in the Southern Trans-Urals. The characteristics of the burial rites and the style of funerary ceramics indicate the integration of these individuals into Alakul society, suggesting diverse pathways in the formation of social groups in the Bronze Age.