Diagenetic signals from ancient human remains - bioarchaeological applications

Szostek, Krzysztof; Stepańczak, Beata; Szczepanek, Anita; Kępa, Małgorzata; Głąb, Henryk; Jarosz, Paweł; Włodarczak, Piotr; Tunia, Krzysztof; Pawlyta, Jacek; Paluszkiewicz, C.; Tylko, Grzegorz

doi:10.2478/v10002-011-0009-4

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In keeping with the recommendations of previous researchers (Garvie-Lok 2001; Nielsen-Marsh and Hedges 2003a; Wright and Schwarcz 1996), rather than considering FTIR indices as isolated and finite exclusion criteria, we consider them alongside other indicators of diagenetic alteration, including correlations between the the FTIR data and stable isotope values. In the following discussion we report statistical results of the overall apatite sample (n=29) as well as a more conservative restricted sample (n=13; values italicized in Table 1) comprising only those individuals with CI values of 3.6 or lower, and CI values between 0.15 and 0.70 (Berna et al 2004;Szostek et al 2011).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We also consider peaks or shoulders at wavelength 1096 cm -1 , in- 1996). CI and C/P values far outside the range of modern bone suggest either that contaminating substances are present in the sample, or that the sample has recrystallized during deposition or sample preparation, both of which may shift the isotope signatures in carbonate away from biogenic values (Berna et al 2004;Nagy et al 2008;Szostek 2009;Szostek et al 2011;Yoder and Bartelink 2010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Diet and society in Poland before the state: stable isotope evidence from a Wielbark population (2nd c. AD)

Reitsema

Kozłowski

2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The 1 st -4 th c. AD Wielbark culture of Eastern Europe is relatively understudied bioarchaeologically due to the fragmentary nature of its cemeteries. Here, we report the first stable isotope analysis of Wielbark diet using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures from both collagen and carbonate of 30 individuals from Rogowo, a 2 nd c. Wielbark cemetery in North-Central Poland. Diet at Rogowo was primarily based on terrestrial foods and included millet, a C 4 plant cultivated by many Slavic populations in Europe. Anadromous fish likely supplemented the diet, which is clarified when considering collagen and carbonate data in tandem. Stable isotope differences between the sexes indicate that men and women may have consumed different foods, although there is a possibility that women immigrated to Rogowo from an isotopically different region of Europe. No significant differences are noted in δ 13 C or δ 15 N of women with and without grave goods, suggesting little social differentiation within the Wielbark culture, at least in terms of daily food access. Reconstructing human diet in Europe through stable isotope analysis is problematic because of the relative isotopic homogeneity in this region of the world. This study further demonstrates the utility of using both carbonate and collagen stable isotope data in tandem to reconstruct past European diet.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Diet and society in Poland before the state: stable isotope evidence from a Wielbark population (2nd c. AD)

Reitsema

Kozłowski

2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Whereas bone constantly remodels during life, dental enamel develops during childhood and remains chemically unchanged in later life. The mineralisation age varies between dental elements, ranging from birth (first molars, M1) to approximately 16 years of age (third molars, M3) in permanent dentition [ 48 – 51 ]. Due to the difference in development, and age of incorporation of strontium, a difference in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr between bone and enamel could be interpreted as the result of migration in an individual’s lifetime.…”

Section: Determination Of Geological Origins Through Isotope Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of Indian Ocean Slavery Revealed through Isotopic Data from the Colonial Era Cobern Street Burial Site, Cape Town, South Africa (1750-1827)

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Dutch East India Company (VOC) intended the Cape of Good Hope to be a refreshment stop for ships travelling between the Netherlands and its eastern colonies. The indigenous Khoisan, however, did not constitute an adequate workforce, therefore the VOC imported slaves from East Africa, Madagascar and Asia to expand the workforce. Cape Town became a cosmopolitan settlement with different categories of people, amongst them a non-European underclass that consisted of slaves, exiles, convicts and free-blacks. This study integrated new strontium isotope data with carbon and nitrogen isotope results from an 18th-19th century burial ground at Cobern Street, Cape Town, to identify non-European forced migrants to the Cape. The aim of the study was to elucidate individual mobility patterns, the age at which the forced migration took place and, if possible, geographical provenance. Using three proxies, 87Sr/86Sr, δ13Cdentine and the presence of dental modifications, a majority (54.5%) of the individuals were found to be born non-locally. In addition, the 87Sr/86Sr data suggested that the non-locally born men came from more diverse geographic origins than the migrant women. Possible provenances were suggested for two individuals. These results contribute to an improved understanding of the dynamics of slave trading in the Indian Ocean world.

show abstract

“…According to the data available in the literature, the CI value for bones should not exceed 3.6 if it is to be assumed that the bone material has not undergone significant re-crystallisation (Berna et al, 2004;Szostek et al, 2011;Wright and Schwarcz, 1996). In the case of the CO 3 /PO 4 indicator, results exceeding the 0.15-0.7 range indicate changes in the mineral portion of the osteological material.…”

Section: Diagenesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is supposed that the cemetery came into being at the same time as the construction of St. Adalbert's Church, which took place in the 10 th century (although archaeologists do not exclude the possibility of it having functioned as a local cemetery unaffiliated to any church). The burial ground's period of functioning is closely linked to the need of a dynamically developing settlement and "economic zone" to occupy this area (Głowa, 2010;Kępa et al, 2011). So the cemetery was actually functioning before the official establishment of Kraków under Magdeburg Law in 1257.…”

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The human bone oxygen isotope ratio changes with aging

2014

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The oxygen isotope ratio (δ 18 O) in tissues is the outcome of both climatic and geographical factors in a given individual's place of abode, as well as the physiology and metabolism of his organism. During an individual's life, various rates and intensities of physiological and metabolic processes are observable in the organism, also within the bone tissue. The aim of this study is to verify whether involutional changes occurring as a result of the organism's ageing have a significant impact on δ 18 O determined in the bone tissue. The material used for analysis was fragments of the long bones taken from 65 people, (11 children and 54 adults), whose remains had been uncovered at the early mediaeval (X-XI century) cemetery located at the Main Market Square in Kraków (Poland). The correlation analysis between δ18 O of bone tissue and an individual's age shows that up to 40 years of age, such a relationship does not exist in both, males and females. However, the conducted correlation analysis prompted the observation that after 40 years of life, δ 18 O in bone tissue significantly drops as females increase in age. Results suggest that the δ 18 O in bone tissue among older people may be the outcome not only of environmental factors but also involutional changes in bone linked to an organism's ageing. Therefore, the interpretation of δ 18 O results relating to the description of the origin and migrations of older individuals should be treated with caution.

show abstract

Diagenetic signals from ancient human remains - bioarchaeological applications

Cited by 15 publications

References 39 publications

Diet and society in Poland before the state: stable isotope evidence from a Wielbark population (2nd c. AD)

Diet and society in Poland before the state: stable isotope evidence from a Wielbark population (2nd c. AD)

Dynamics of Indian Ocean Slavery Revealed through Isotopic Data from the Colonial Era Cobern Street Burial Site, Cape Town, South Africa (1750-1827)

The human bone oxygen isotope ratio changes with aging

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About