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5.5 Archaeological implications

Food and cuisine are strongly associated with cultural identity, and, as such, typically resistant to change. A change of diet therefore suggests that a cultural transformation has taken place. In the case of the Resmo megalith, where no artefacts can be associated with individuals, the only individual cultural indicators besides the megalithic tomb itself are the diet and date. The extended use of the passage grave makes it clear that the cultural affiliation with the TRB cannot be valid for all the interred individuals. Thus, after the initial erection and use in Phase 1, we interpret the changes in diet and mobility as reflecting a major cultural transformation, possibly connected to the appearance of the Battle Axe material culture. Phase 3, by contrast, is characterised by an increasing number of non-local people. These newcomers brought with them intensified agriculture, trade and metal craftsmanship; this is also reflected in the general material culture of the Bronze Age, where we see intensified contacts with continental Europe, e.g., in amber and bronzes (Kristiansen and Larsson 2005). The isotope analysis and the subsequent application of our model provide real insights into human mobility at the individual level - an important addition to studies of mobility based on the presence of exotic artefacts or analyses of population genetics.


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