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

Abstract

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.

An analysis of factors affecting the mercury content in the human femoral bone

“…In the study by Lanocha et al (2012, 2013), bone samples were dried; in our study, bone materials were freeze dried. In comparison, Hg content of the cancellous tissue collected from medieval human bones was up to 40 times higher than that of the cortical tissue (Rasmussen et al 2013). However, the study was carried out only for a very small group (two skeletons).…”

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

“…The Hg concentration in trabecular tissue is generally higher than in compact tissue [50], and the slightly higher values for Hg concentrations in the trabecular tissue for the three individuals USD-252.2, USD-253 [28] and the IntCal13 calibration curve [29].…”

“…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.…”

“…the geographical site of residence, can be revealed individually or by a cross plot of the elemental ratios Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca [18,50]. Like the Sr-isotope ratios (see e.g.…”

Dental signs attributed to congenital syphilis and its treatments in the Hamann-Todd Skeletal Collection

“…If someone was treated with mercury for two years from the age of two, and lived to adulthood, little to no mercury would be found. However, if an individual were treated with mercury closer towards the time of death, mercury levels would be detectable, as various studies have shown (Tucker 2007;Rasmussen et al 2008;Rasmussen et al 2013;Zuckerman 2016). Since the excretion of mercury is the issue, it highlights the very importance of dental changes associated with treatments containing mercury and its use when considering the differential diagnosis of congenital syphilis, especially in older individuals.…”