Tracing Mobility and Diet in Early Metal-Age Bali: New Stable Isotope Evidence from the Gilimanuk Necropolis

Snigdha Konar*, Aparna Dwivedi, and Niraj Rai

The Gilimanuk site in western Bali stands as one of Indonesia’s most important prehistoric necropolis, dating to approximately 2,000 years BP (2nd - 4th centuries CE). While archaeological evidence, including Indian Rouletted Ware and glass beads, demonstrates clear trans-Asiatic exchange networks connecting Bali with South Asia and Mainland Southeast Asia during this period, the extent of actual human migration versus local adoption of foreign goods remains poorly understood. This study presents the first multi-isotopic study (δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) from 15 individuals interred at Gilimanuk, to understand their diet composition, water sources, and potential mobility. Furthermore, this research contributes to broader debates concerning the nature of early trans-Asiatic exchange, exploring whether the ‘Indianization’ evident in Balinese material culture and religious traditions was accompanied by significant human migration or primarily mediated through the movement of goods and ideas along emerging maritime trade networks.