Intra-skeletal variability in trace elemental content of Precolumbian Chupicuaro human bones: the record of post-mortem alteration and a tool for palaeodietary reconstruction

Stable isotope and multi-analytical investigation of Monte da Cegonha: A Late Antiquity population in southern Portugal

“…The inhumations sampled were adult individuals (4 females and 1 male), while the 20 ossuary burials included 5 children (b 5 years old) and 15 adults (1 female, 5 males, 2 probable males and 7 undetermined individuals). For the skeletons found in articulation more than one anatomical element was analysed for examining potential intra-skeletal geochemical differences (Maurer et al, 2011(Maurer et al, , 2014. In total 40 human samples were submitted for analysis and are listed in Table 2.…”

“…Results show that there are differences in crystallinity at the intra-skeletal scale, as well as at the grave level, between primary inhumations and ossuaries buried in the same grave (Table 5). These intra-skeletal differences may be due to taphonomic processes and differential kinetic diffusion parameters depending on the part of the skeleton and the individuals analysed (Maurer et al, 2011).…”

“…Diagenesis is a complex process that involves biological and physico-chemical post-mortem alterations of skeletal material directly exposed to soil environments during burial (Beasley et al, 2014;Hollund et al, 2013;Lebon et al, 2010;Maurer et al, 2011Maurer et al, , 2014. Such processes that affect bone preservation can be caused by microbial attack, temperature, humidity, hydrology, pH, and may lead to partial or complete degradation of organic matter (Beasley et al, 2014;Lebon et al, 2010).…”

Element localization in archaeological bone using synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence: identification of biogenic uptake

“…The application of trace elements has largely shifted from paleodietary reconstruction to their utility as diagenetic indicators, the two exceptions being strontium and barium (Burton and Price, 2001). Many studies related to understanding the impact of diagenesis have been recently summarized (King et al, 2011, Maurer et al, 2011.…”

Differentiating mobility and migration in middle Holocene Cis-Baikal, Siberia

“…Much evidence has been produced to suggest a degree of caution and heavy laboratory cleaning procedures to ensure that strontium and other chemical data produced from skeletal tissues are representative of activities during life and not simply diagenetic overprinting from the burial environment (Bell, 1990;Budd et al, 2000;Copeland et al, 2010;DeNiro and Hastorf, 1985;Hedges, 2002;Knudson et al, 2012;Koch et al, 1997;Kohn et al, 1999;Maurer et al, 2011;Nelson et al, 1986;Nielsen-Marsh and Hedges, 1999;Nielsen-Marsh and Hedges, 2000a;Nielsen-Marsh and Hedges, 2000b;Price et al, 1992;Smith et al, 2007;Snoeck et al, 2015).…”