Multi-isotope analysis in archaeology: Commercialising advances in AHRC-funded research

This project will commercialise multi-isotope methods developed and validated in AHRC-funded research. This will be achieved through the development, professionalisation and expansion of the Cardiff University BioArchaeology (CUBA) analytical and research consultation services. Ultimately, this will forge long term, commercially viable collaboration between archaeological companies and academic departments to maximise the potential of the vast quantities of osseous material produced in commercial excavations.

Biomolecular methods have advanced rapidly in recent years in archaeology, meaning ever higher resolution and diverse information can be acquired about humans, animals and landscapes, feeding into high level questions surrounding social, economic and environmental change in the past. There is an increasing recognition that the quality of the data that is now being produced is useful well beyond interpreting the past and is of great value for assessing long term trends and informing policy (e.g. in relation to environmental change, rewilding and sustainability). Isotope analysis has been at the core of these advancements, with the integration of multiple isotopes systems (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen, strontium, lead) meaning diet, health and mobility can be reconstructed to a higher resolution than ever. AHRC-funded research has been at the forefront of these developments. The PI is currently completing the largest multi-isotope study (using five isotope systems) on animals yet delivered globally on the FeastNet project. The largest human multi-isotope study globally is the AHRC-funded Beaker People Project (PI: Parker Pearson). These major studies have propelled the discipline forward and demonstrated the interpretative potential of using multiple isotope proxies in tandem.

At the same time, the commercial archaeology sector has undergone a phase of major expansion. Contract archaeology has matured to a more secure position with major infrastructure projects such as Crossrail, a plethora of major road schemes and HS2 having injected tens of millions into the sector. The government's long-term commitment to housing ensures that the archaeological work will continue. These projects produce vast quantities of material, including millions of animal bones and thousands of human skeletons. These bodies of material have unparalleled potential for advancing our understanding of past societies and environment, but this remains largely untapped. with multi-isotope analysis rarely conducted in commercial projects. Awareness of the value of these methods is, however, increasing and so is demand. The PI undertook his first commercial isotope project in 2017 after being approached by a unit in Wales (Archeoleg Brython Archaeology). Through word of mouth, these operations have now expanded to delivering projects for thirteen companies, three heritage organisations and a large number of international universities who do not have the analytical capacity.

Drawing directly on the methods and the valuable findings of the AHRC-funded FeastNet project, this proposal will professionalise operations, forging a path to long term, sustainable and commercially viable collaborations between contract archaeology and the academic sector. This will be achieved through close liaison with the sector including focus groups and workshops to ensure that operations are tailored to the requirements and systems of the commercial sector. Formalised administrative workflows and standard operating procedures will be developed that align to the needs of archaeological companies. It will also involve the development of a website, logo and branding as well as laboratory consumables to expand capacity. The project will culminate in a detailed report on the trajectory of commercial projects at Cardiff University BioArchaeology (CUBA) with recommendations for future directions.