All Fields (A-Z)

%C

percent_c

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

%N

percent_n

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

%S

percent_s

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

143Nd/144Nd

nd143_nd144

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

143Nd/144Nd sd

nd143_nd144_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

14C date uncertainty

c14_date_uncertainty

Legacy names

14C σ

14C date uncertainty refers to the uncertainty accompanying the raw date directly measured from the sample by a radiocarbon laboratory.

Type	Sections	Unit / Norm	Required
decimal	radiocarbon measures	years BP	No

14C lab code

c14_lab_code

14C lab code refers to the unique identifier assigned by a radiocarbon laboratory to a radiocarbon date.

Type	Sections	Required
string	radiocarbon measures	Yes

87Sr/86Sr

sr87_sr86

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

87Sr/86Sr - NBS987

sr87_sr86_nbs987

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

87Sr/86Sr 2se

sr87_sr86_2se

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

87Sr/86Sr sd

sr87_sr86_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

Age category

age_category

Legacy names

age class

Age category denotes the estimated age of a human individual based on osteological features. The IsoArcH database uses a binary division into non-adult and adult, with an arbitrary cut-off value of 18 years old. Individuals overlapping the two age categories remain unclassified.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• adult
  
• non-adult
  

Alternative location name

alternative_location_name

Alternate name for the location where the source was collected. This may include a different known name for the toponym, spelling variations, or the original name in a non-Latin alphabet. Example: تل موزان

Type	Sections	Required
string	locations	No

Archaeological culture

archaeological_culture

This field pertains to the characterization of a prehistoric or historical culture, typically derived from its material artifacts, and associated with a specific geographical and temporal context. This is a free-text area, typically containing one or two words, such as "Roman".

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Bibliography references

bibliography_references

A bibliographical reference refers to the concise citation of a literature source in the format of Author(s) plus Year. Examples: Salesse (2015), Kharobi and Buccellati (2023), or Colombo et al. (2021),

Type	Sections	Required
identifier	sources	No

Biological age - maximum

biological_age_maximum

Legacy names

max age estimation, age estimation max

Maximum biological age estimate of an individual determined using osteological features. If a precise age is attributed instead of a range, enter the same value in both fields for 'biological age (minimum)' and 'biological age (maximum)'. By convention, the maximum accepted value is 99. If no further information is available for an individual reported only as an "adult" in the original paper, or if a precise age is associated with a plus symbol as a suffix, the 'biological age (maximum)' field will be filled with the value 99.

Type	Sections	Unit / Norm	Required
integer	hominins bio	year old (y.o.)	No

Biological age - minimum

biological_age_minimum

Legacy names

age estimation min, min age estimation

Minimum biological age estimate of an individual determined using osteological features. If a precise age is attributed instead of a range, enter the same value in both fields for 'biological age (minimum)' and 'biological age (maximum)'. If no further information is available for an individual reported only as an "adult" in the original paper, the field "biological age (minimum)" will be filled with the value 18.

Type	Sections	Validations	Unit / Norm	Required
integer	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	year old (y.o.)	No

Biological sex

biological_sex

Legacy names

sex

Biological sex indicates the sex of an individual estimed through bioanthropological methods (osteology, proteomics, DNA, etc.) as reported in the original paper.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• M
  
• F
  
• F?
  
• M?
  
• I
  
• NA
  

Body disposal

body_disposal

Legacy names

disposal type

Body disposal type refers to the way the human corpse (or its remains) was disposed.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	Yes

Allowed Values:

• inhumation
  
• cremation
  
• scattered
  

Body orientation

body_orientation

Body orientation refers to the positioning of the deceased within a burial relative to the cardinal directions. The orientation is established from the head down to the feet.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• north/south
  
• west/east
  
• north-east/south-west
  
• north-west/south-east
  
• south/north
  
• east/west
  
• south-east/north-west
  
• south-west/north-east
  

Body position

body_position

Body position refers to the original positioning of a corpse within a burial.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• ventral
  
• dorsal
  
• lateral right
  
• sitting
  
• lateral left
  
• lateral
  

Body side

body_side

Body side indicates the right or left half of a human or animal, determined by the sagittal plane, which vertically divides the body into two sections.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• left
  
• right
  

Bone preservation

bone_preservation

Legacy names

bone preservation level

Bone preservation describes the overall macroscopic state of preservation of the bones of a human individual.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• well
  
• medium
  
• poor
  

Burial assemblage

burial_assemblage

Legacy names

inhumation type 1, inhumation type 2, inhumation type, corpse handling

Burial assemblage refers to number and timing of corpse deposition(s) within a burial.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• individual
  
• plural
  
• plural:collective
  
• plural:multiple
  

Burial?

burial

Legacy names

is a burial, is it a burial?

Burial refers to the identification of a burial feature in which a human body or its remains had been intentionally deposited.

Type	Sections	Required
boolean	hominins bio	No

C:N

c_n

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

C:S

c_s

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

Chemical pretreatment?

chemical_pretreatment

Legacy names

chemical pre-treatment?

Chemical pre-treatment used.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
boolean	organic measures	Lowercase: yes	No

Collagen yield (%)

collagen_yield

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

Combustion stage

combustion_stage

Legacy names

burn stage, if plant, is it charred?

Combustion stage denotes the two main phases of a burning process that are observable at a macroscopic level.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• charred
  
• calcined
  

Comments

comments

This field is intended as a free-text area for adding succinct and clear additional information related to the funerary context, complementing the existing fields.

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Composite sample?

composite_sample

Legacy names

is it a mixture?

This field enables indicating whether the analyzed sample is a composite of multiple grab samples pooled together to provide one sample.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
boolean	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Container material

container_material

Legacy names

container type

Container type pertains to the hollow object, receptacle or enclosure utilized for holding a deceased human body or its remains. Given the array of available options, this field specifies solely the construction material category.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• perishable
  
• stone
  
• metal
  
• pottery
  
• plaster
  

Coordinates type

coordinates_type

Legacy names

type of coordinates

Coordinates type indicates the precision of the geographic location where the source was collected, whether exact or approximate.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	locations	Lowercase: yes	Yes

Allowed Values:

• exact
  
• approximate
  

Database reference

database_reference

Database reference specifies the origin database where the data is sourced from. Example: IsoBank

Type	Sections	Required
string	locations	No

Decomposition

decomposition

Legacy names

buried in a filled space ?

Decomposition refers to the immediate environment where the decay of a human body occurs, influencing or preventing the disarticulation and movement of skeletal remains within the burial.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• void
  
• filled space
  

Deposition type

deposition_type

Deposition type denotes the category of funerary deposits for a human corpse or its remains.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• primary
  
• secondary
  
• reduction
  
• relic
  

Fish category

fish_category

Fish category offers an additional layer of information regarding the ecological niches and habitats where the fish thrive.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• freshwater
  
• marine
  
• anadromous
  
• catadromous
  
• diadromous
  

Funerary architecture

funerary_architecture

Legacy names

burial type 2, burial architecture

Burial architecture refers to the specific construction and design features of a funerary structure from which the source originates.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• simple pit
  
• arranged tomb
  
• jar tomb
  
• niche grave
  

Gender

gender

This field denotes the gender assigned by archaeologists based on grave goods, burial architecture, and other funerary materials.

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Allowed Values:

• M
  
• F
  
• M?
  
• F?
  
• I
  

Grave goods

grave_goods

This field indicates whether items were placed with the deceased at the time of burial.

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Latitude

latitude

Latitude, an angular measurement in degrees north or south from the equator, serves as the geographic coordinate for the location where the source was collected. There are no constraints on the number of digits following the decimal point. Example: 7.316667

Type	Sections	Unit / Norm	Required
decimal	locations	WGS84	Yes

Location name

location_name

Name of the location, typically an archaeological site, where the source was collected. Example: Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter

Type	Sections	Required
string	locations	Yes

Location reference

location_reference

Legacy names

site reference

Identifier of a location, usually an acronym or abbreviation of the name of an archaeological site, as referenced in the paper or commonly recognized. Example: SSPM2024

Type	Sections	Required
identifier	locations, sources	Yes

Longitude

longitude

Longitude, an angular measurement in degrees east or west from the prime meridian, acts as a coordinate for pinpointing the location where the source was collected. There are no constraints on the number of digits following the decimal point. Example: 13.5833333

Type	Sections	Unit / Norm	Required
decimal	locations	WGS84	Yes

Measure type

measure_type

Measure type indicates whether the isotope and elemental measurements were conducted on a mineral or an organic compound within the sample.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	radiocarbon measures	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• mineral
  
• organic
  

Mummification

mummification

Mummification refers to the alteration of the decomposition process caused by human intervention or natural phenomena.

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Allowed Values:

• natural
  
• artificial
  

N:S

n_s

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

Nd concentration (ppb)

nd_concentration

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

Number of sources

number_of_sources

Legacy names

number of individuals, quantity

Number of potential sources from which the sample was collected. Typically, this number is 1. However, in complex funerary settings, such as plural burials or cremations, it may be impossible to pinpoint the exact source of a sample. In such cases, the Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) will be entered.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	regex: ^(>=?)?\d+$	No

Original burial identifier

original_burial_identifier

Legacy names

individual reference in paper, structure number

Original burial identifier corresponds to the the name or code assigned to the funerary structure from which the source originates.

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Original source identifier

original_source_identifier

Original identifier refers to the name of the source, usually a code, as stated in the original paper or database.

Type	Sections	Required
string	sources	No

Pathological change

pathological_change

Legacy names

pathological change on sample

Brief description of any pathological change on the sampled element, if present. This is a free-text field that should remain concise, with a brief and clear description.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Pathological observations

pathological_observations

Brief description of any pathological observations at the individual level, if present. This is a free-text field that should remain concise, with a brief and clear description.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	No

Plant metabolism

plant_metabolism

Legacy names

metabolism

Plant metabolism denotes the metabolic pathway utilized by a plant for carbon fixation during photosynthesis.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• C3
  
• C4
  
• CAM
  

Relative chronology - lower limit

relative_chronology_lower_limit

Lower limit of the estimated age for the collected sample. The age may directly relate to the sample or the context from which it derives (e.g., age of an archaeological layer or an architectural element). For dates expressed in calendar years BCE, a hyphen-minus symbol must precede the year. Example: -753. The minimum boundary of a two sigma (95.4% confidence) calibrated age from radiocarbon dating of the sample can also be provided. If the source is contemporary, indicate the year of sampling in both the "relative chronology (lower limit)" and "relative chronology (upper limit)" fields; otherwise, use the publication year if unknown. Example: 2024

Type	Sections	Required
integer	sources	No

Relative chronology - upper limit

relative_chronology_upper_limit

Upper limit of the estimated age for the collected sample. The age may directly relate to the sample or the context from which it derives (e.g., age of an archaeological layer or an architectural element). For dates expressed in calendar years BCE, a hyphen-minus symbol must precede the year. Example: -480. The maximum boundary of a two sigma (95.4% confidence) calibrated age from radiocarbon dating of the sample can also be provided. If the source is contemporary, indicate the year of sampling in both the "relative chronology (lower limit)" and "relative chronology (upper limit)" fields; otherwise, use the publication year if unknown. Example: 2024

Type	Sections	Required
integer	sources	No

Reported age group

reported_age_group

Legacy names

age class name in paper

Reported age group refers to the ordinal age group to which an individual belongs as presented in the original paper. Example: Infans I.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	No

Reported biological identification

reported_biological_identification

Legacy names

taxonomy in paper

Reported biological identification pertains to the taxonomic classification assigned to an animal as reported in the paper, which may allude to either scientific or vernacular nomenclature.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Result type

result_type

Result type is a field that enables specification of the type of measured value being reported. When multiple values, such as a range, are applicable to a specific sample, this field should be completed multiple times, each on a separate line.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	mineral measures, organic measures	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• min
  
• max
  
• mean
  
• exact
  

Sample reference

sample_reference

Sample reference is a unique identifier assigned first by the compiler and then by the IsoArcH database to each collected sample. In each dataset, these numbers will span from 1 to n, with n representing the maximum number of samples compiled. Once in the IsoArcH database, this identifier will include the dataset number as a prefix. GRIST may automatically populate this field. Example: 1

Type	Sections	Required
identifier	hominins bio, samples, mineral measures, organic measures, radiocarbon measures	Yes

Sample type

sample_type

Sample type relates to the characterization of the selected sample on which isotopic and elemental analysis were conducted.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	Yes

Allowed Values:

• bone
  
• fruit
  
• garum
  
• grain
  
• leaf
  
• pit
  
• seed
  
• shaft
  
• shell
  
• skin
  
• stem
  
• tooth
  
• hair
  
• beard
  
• nail
  
• gut
  
• muscle
  
• milk
  
• flesh
  
• scale
  
• feather
  
• whole
  
• tuber
  
• horn
  

Sampled bone

sampled_bone

Legacy names

sampled skeletal part

Sampled bone denotes the precise identification of the bone chosen for sampling.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Sampled dental arch

sampled_dental_arch

Sampled dental arch denotes the identification of arcade of teeth chosen for sampling.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• upper
  
• lower
  

Sampled zone identifier

sampled_zone_identifier

Legacy names

serial order

Serial order enables the numbering of sequential samplings taken from a specific sample, typically from dentine, enamel, or hair.

Type	Sections	Required
string	mineral measures, organic measures	No

Set of teeth

set_of_teeth

Set of teeth describes the type of dentition.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• deciduous
  
• permanent
  

Skeletal representation

skeletal_representation

Legacy names

skeletal representation level

Skeletal representation refers to the degree of completeness of the preserved skeleton of a human individual.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	hominins bio	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• good
  
• medium
  
• bad
  

Source reference

source_reference

Legacy names

individual reference

Source reference is a unique identifier assigned first by the compiler and then by the IsoArcH database to each collected source. In each dataset, these numbers will span from 1 to n, with n representing the maximum number of sources compiled. Once in the IsoArcH database, this identifier will include the dataset number as a prefix. GRIST may automatically populate this field. Example: 1

Type	Sections	Required
identifier	hominins bio, sources, samples	Yes

Source type

source_type

Legacy names

individual type

A source is defined as the individual, specimen, element, or compound from which a sample originates. The type of sources is restricted to specific allowed values. Example: For a human, choose hominin.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	Yes

Allowed Values:

• hominin
  
• animal
  
• plant
  
• organic residue
  

Sr concentration (ppm)

sr_concentration

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

Stature

stature

Stature refers to the estimated height of an individual based on osteological features. Value is rounded to one decimal point.

Type	Sections	Unit / Norm	Required
integer	hominins bio	centimeter (cm)	No

Stature result type

stature_result_type

This field indicates the type of estimation used to determine an individual's height from osteological features. It reflects whether the stature is reported as a minimum, maximum, mean, or exact value, providing insight into the methodological approach and precision of the height estimation.

Type	Sections	Required
string	hominins bio	No

Allowed Values:

• min
  
• max
  
• mean
  
• exact
  

Stature sd

stature_sd

This field records the standard deviation of the stature estimate, expressed to one decimal point. It indicates the variability or uncertainty around the estimated height, helping assess the precision of the osteological analysis used to determine stature.

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	hominins bio	No

Taxonomy

taxonomy

Taxonomy refers to the classification of organisms into taxa across five ranks (class, order, family, genus, and species) using the most precise rank possible, following internationally endorsed nomenclatures. The rank of subspecies is not recognized. Example: Sus scrofa domestica will be noted Sus scrofa.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Timescale

timescale

Time notation system used to express a date. The timecale is restricted to specific allowed values.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	sources	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• BCE/CE
  
• cal BP
  
• BP
  

Tooth category

tooth_category

Tooth category indicates the type of the sampled tooth.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	samples	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• incisor
  
• canine
  
• premolar
  
• molar
  

Tooth fraction

tooth_fraction

Legacy names

fraction of tooth sample

Tooth fraction refers to the particular portion of the tooth that has been sampled.

Type	Sections	Validations	Required
string	mineral measures, organic measures, radiocarbon measures	Lowercase: yes	No

Allowed Values:

• dentine
  
• enamel
  
• pulp
  

Tooth numbering

tooth_numbering

Legacy names

tooth number

Tooth numbering allows to designate by a number the tooth sampled. assigns a numerical designation to the sampled tooth. The system adopts a straightforward nomenclature akin to everyday life. Example: the third molar is designated as 3.

Type	Sections	Required
integer	samples	No

Allowed Values:

• 1
  
• 2
  
• 3
  

Uncalibrated 14C date

uncalibrated_c14_date

Legacy names

14C uncalibrated age

Uncalibrated 14C date refers to the raw date directly measured from the sample by a radiocarbon laboratory.

Type	Sections	Unit / Norm	Required
integer	radiocarbon measures	years BP	No

δ13C (‰vpdb)

d13c

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

δ13C (‰vpdb) sd

d13c_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

δ13C carbonate (‰vpdb)

d13c_carbonate

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ13C carbonate (‰vpdb) sd

d13c_carbonate_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ15N (‰air)

d15n

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

δ15N (‰air) sd

d15n_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

δ18O carbonate (‰vpdb)

d18o_carbonate_vdpd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ18O carbonate (‰vpdb) sd

d18o_carbonate_vdpd_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ18O carbonate (‰vsmow)

d18o_carbonate_vsmow

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ18O carbonate (‰vsmow) sd

d18o_carbonate_vsmow_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ18O phosphate (‰vsmow)

d18o_phosphate_vsmow

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ18O phosphate (‰vsmow) sd

d18o_phosphate_vsmow_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No

δ34S (‰vcdt)

d34s

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

δ34S (‰vcdt) sd

d34s_sd

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	organic measures	No

εnd

end

Type	Sections	Required
decimal	mineral measures	No