Trace element contents of human bones in various states of preservation 1. The soil silhouette

Keeley, H. C. M.; Hudson, Gavin; Evans, James L.

doi:10.1016/0305-4403(77)90109-1

Cited by 51 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 3 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The original relative concentrations of manganese were not sustained. These results are in agreement with those of Lambert et al (1979) and Keeley et al (1977), who also found significant manganese extraction by interred bone. Although Nelson and Sauer (1984) found no enrichment of manganese by soiI, it is important to note that their specimens were taken from alkaline soil, unlike those examined here.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 95%

Reconstruction of the diet of the Middle Woodland Amerindian population at Abbott Farm by bone trace‐element analysis

Byrne

Parris

1987

American J Phys Anthropol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In order to reconstruct the diet of various occupations of Middle Woodland Amerindians at Abbott Farm, New Jersey, nine different trace-element analyses were performed on bone specimens from the site. Contemporary bone specimens were also used as controls. Specimens of human bone from the site exhibited lower strontium levels and strontium-to-calcium ratios than deer specimens from the same site, reinforcing paleodemographic evidence that the human populations that inhabited this site included substantial amounts of meat in their diets. Strong evidence for diagenetic enrichment of strontium was also found. Copper levels were not affected by diagenesis, but dietary discrimination was not clear for this element. The results for lead were too inconsistent to permit conclusions. Magnesium levels were clearly depleted by diagenesis, suggesting that this element is less useful than others in dietary reconstruction studies. Manganese concentrations were greatly enriched by diagenesis, rendering this element useless in dietary reconstruction. Molybdenum was absent from virtually every specimen. Excellent dietary discrimination was found for sodium, despite significant leaching. Zinc was not affected by diagenesis, but interpretation of results was hampered by its complex metabolism in mammals. The results also suggest that the Middle Woodland aboriginal residents of Abbott Farm ate little seafood and utilized grain or other plants that contain phytate as a food source.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 95%

Reconstruction of the diet of the Middle Woodland Amerindian population at Abbott Farm by bone trace‐element analysis

Byrne

Parris

1987

American J Phys Anthropol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Schleswig in Germany or Svendborg in Denmark [18]. The likely explanation is that the Al originates from adhered soil [50,[56][57][58] and that Fe is deposited on the bones by the passing groundwater and precipitated by changes in pH [50,[58][59][60]. It is therefore likely that Al and Fe represent two different diagenetic processes.…”

Section: Contamination and Diagenesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background:The Franciscan Friary in Montella near Avellino in Southern Italy is of special interest because according to historical sources it was founded by St. Francis himself in AD 1221-1222. Human remains of several hundred individuals interred in the cloister walk have been unearthed during two excavation campaigns conducted in 2007-2008 and 2010. The environs of the friary have remained rural since the foundation preventing much modern contamination. The state of preservation of the skeletons is fair to good making a suite of analyses worthwhile. Results:The skeletons have been examined anthropologically and tissue samples have been subjected to radiocarbon dating, stable isotope measurements and trace element analyses by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Conclusions:The radiocarbon dates are consistent with the historical sources and show that the cemetery in the cloister walk has been in uninterrupted use from the foundation of the friary in AD 1221-1222 and until the cemetery went out of use in AD 1524. The anthropological investigations show that the individuals interred at the friary would have been shorter than other Italians from the same time, and it seems that tuberculosis was more prevalent than leprosy. Isotopic measurements show a mixed agricultural and pastoral diet and none of the individuals were consuming marine protein. Based on the trace element analysis it seems that the people resided mainly at two distinct geographical areas, one of which was Montella. One individual stands out from the rest, because he was born and raised at some third geographical location distinct from Montella and because he sports the second oldest radiocarbon date of AD 1050-1249 (two sigma calibrated range). This date is consistent with the first generation of the founders of the friary-perhaps one of St. Francis' fellow travellers from Assisi.

show abstract

“…At some hydrological locations the groundwater carries large amounts of Fe and Mn [16][17][18], and the lay cemetery of Svendborg Franciscan Friary is such a place. The landscape rises steeply to the west of the friary, and the hillside running north-south here carries and releases a lot of groundwater.…”

Section: Diagenesismentioning

confidence: 99%

The distribution of mercury and other trace elements in the bones of two human individuals from medieval Denmark -- the chemical life history hypothesis

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Excavating human skeletons is the closest archaeologists can get to the people who lived in the past. Once excavated the bones are often analysed chemically in order to yield as much information as possible. Most archaeometric analyses performed on samples of human skeletal remains have been performed on a single sample from a tooth or a long bone. In this paper we investigate how a suite of elements (Mg, Al, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, As, Sr, Ba, Hg and Pb) are distributed in two medieval skeletons excavated at the laymen cemetery at the Franciscan Friary in Svendborg, Denmark. The analyses have been performed using CV-AAS for Hg and ICP-MS for the rest of the elements. We find that in general Hg concentrations are highest in the trabecular tissues and in the abdomen region. Our data also show that the elements Al, Fe and Mn concentrate in the trabecular tissue and on the surfaces of the bones. The two individuals can be clearly distinguished by Principal Component Analysis of all the measured trace elements. Our data support a previously published hypothesis that the elemental ratios Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca and Mg/Ca are indicative of provenance. Aluminium, Fe and Mn can be attributed to various forms of diagenesis, while Hg is not present in sufficiently large amounts in the surrounding soil to allow diagenesis to explain the high Hg values in the trabecular tissue. Instead we propose that Hg must originate from decomposed soft tissue.

show abstract

Trace element contents of human bones in various states of preservation 1. The soil silhouette

Cited by 51 publications

References 3 publications

Reconstruction of the diet of the Middle Woodland Amerindian population at Abbott Farm by bone trace‐element analysis

Reconstruction of the diet of the Middle Woodland Amerindian population at Abbott Farm by bone trace‐element analysis

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: the function of a Medieval Franciscan Friary seen through the burials

The distribution of mercury and other trace elements in the bones of two human individuals from medieval Denmark -- the chemical life history hypothesis

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About