A shattered tomb of scattered people: The alvastra dolmen in light of stable isotopes

Abstract

Skeletal remains from the dolmen in Alvastra are approached from the perspective of isotope analyses, providing insights into dietary and residential patterns. Radiocarbon dates from the interred individuals provide evidence of long-lasting burial practices which were still active when the Alvastra Pile Dwelling was built. The isotopic record indicates dispersed geographic origins among the buried individuals. It is suggested that Alvastra, with the dolmen as a focal point, was established as a meeting place and sacred space already several centuries before the time of the Pile Dwelling.