The Islamic cemetery at 33 Bartomeu Vicent Ramon, Ibiza: investigating diet and mobility through light stable isotopes in bone collagen and tooth enamel

The Balearic Islands occupy a central space in the western Mediterranean, at the maritime crossroads between North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of southwestern Europe. As such, it is well placed to investigate changes in subsistence practices associated with the major cultural transitions following the arrival of Islamic rule. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was carried out on bone collagen from the Islamic cemetery (ca. AD 950–1150) population excavated at 33 Bartomeu Vicent Ramon, Ibiza, including human (n = 42) and faunal remains (n = 3). Stable oxygen and carbon isotope analysis was also undertaken on human tooth enamel carbonate (n = 6), and six humans were directly radiocarbon dated, confirming the presence of two distinct burial phases. The collagen results emphasise a C3-based diet, with variable but generally minor contributions from marine and/or C4 foods. However, the enamel carbonate results indicate a far greater importance of C4 crops than suggested by the collagen results, contributing up to 40% of energy intake. In keeping with previous studies of the region and period, the dietary contribution of marine protein is probably limited. A small number of outliers in both collagen and carbonate isotope results are identified, suggesting the presence of individuals originating elsewhere. The results are compared with those from previous investigations on the Balearics and the Spanish mainland, highlighting the complexity of factors—both cultural and methodological—affecting inter-regional dietary investigation

Search for Spanish Civil War Victims in the Cemetery of Sant Ferran, Formentera (Spain): Oral Witness Testimonies, Secondary Deposition Site, and Perimortem Trauma

The Spanish Civil War resulted in a high number of civilians killed as a result of the conflict between the Fascist or Nationalist Regime of Francisco Franco and the Republican faction. After the Spanish Civil War, a number of exhumations were carried out by those of the victorious side. The Spanish government has created legislation to regulate these exhumations. Aside from the existing national laws, there are also regional legislation in most of the autonomous communities. The characteristic of the lesions, regarding both their typology and location are similar to those extensively documented for executed victims during the Spanish Civil War. The Civil Register in Formentera includes every death with the name of individual, date, burial place, and cause of death. Since 2000, the number of Spanish Civil War exhumations by professional archaeologists, anthropologists, forensic pathologists, and other specialists have increased in order to provide a dignified burial and closure for relatives