Hidden depths: revealing new insight into the archaeological human remains from the London reaches of the River Thames

Hundreds of human skeletal remains, many of which are Late Bronze Age or Iron Age in date, have been recovered from the London reaches of the River Thames over the last two centuries or so. Interpreting the presence of these remains has long posed a problem for archaeologists, and previous debates have focused on whether the majority reflect ritual deposition practices or the action of fluvial processes.

This talk will explore how a large programme of research, which includes radiocarbon dating, osteological analysis, and stable isotope (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S) analysis, is revealing new insight into this assemblage and its deposition.