In this work, a non-commercial triaxial geometry energy dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) setup and a benchtop µ-XRF system were used to identify postmortem contamination in buried bones. For two of the individuals, unusually high concentrations of Cu and Pb, but also Zn (in one individual) were observed. The pigments of the burial shroud coverings have been identified as the source of contamination. Accurate and precise quantitative results were obtained by nondestructive process using fundamental parameters method taking into account the matrix absorption effects. A total of 30 bones from 13 individuals, buried between the mid-XVIIIth to early XIXth centuries, were analyzed to study the elemental composition and elemental distribution. The bones were collected from a church in Almada (Portugal), called Ermida do Espírito Santo, located near the Tagus River and at the sea neighbourhood. The triaxial geometry setup was used to quantify Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Sr and Pb of powder pressed bone pellets (n=9 for each bone). Cluster analysis was performed considering the elemental concentrations for the different bones. There was a clear association between some bones regarding Fe, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb content but not a categorization between cortical and trabecular bones. The elemental distribution of Cu, Zn and Pb were assessed by the benchtop μ-analysis, the M4 Tornado, based on a polycapillary system which provides multi-elemental 2D maps. The results showed that contamination was mostly on the surface of the bone confirming that it was related to the burial shroud covering the individuals.
Financial support for the meeting Mega-Talks 2 has been provided by the project Moving megaliths in the Neolithic (PTDC/EPH-ARQ/3971/2012), funded by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal) and the Municipality of Redondo (Portugal).
A Ermida do Espírito Santo, em Almada, foi provavelmente fundada durante os séculos XIV ou XV mas, após o Terramoto de 1755 — e até finais do século XVIII — serviu como sede da freguesia de Santa Maria do Castelo, período durante o qual foi amplamente utilizada como espaço sepulcral. No decurso da escavação arqueológica prévia ao início das obras de requalificação da Ermida foram recuperados os restos esqueléticos de 88 indivíduos. Neste trabalho apresentam-se as lesões ósseas num indivíduo adulto do sexo feminino que configuram, de forma mais provável, um diagnóstico de sífilis venérea. Desse modo, releva-se a presença de um pequeno foco de caries sicca na região direita do frontal — este tipo de lesão gomatosa é considerado patognomónico em paleopatologia. O frontal (junto à órbita direita) e os zigomáticos apresentam microporosidade e neoformação óssea. O úmero e o fémur direitos, bem como a tíbia e a clavícula esquerdas, exibem periostites e osteítes, com espessamento diafisário extenso. As lesões observadas não são bilaterais, exceto no caso dos malares. Para além da sífilis adquirida, outras opções diagnósticas são consideradas, designadamente outras treponematoses, no contexto histórico da Ermida do Espírito Santo.
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