Archaeological bone elemental analysis

White, C.D. and Schwarcz, H.P. 1989 Ancient Maya diet as inferred from isotopic and elemental analysis of human bone. JoumaZ o/ Archaeological Science 16 451M74. 

Lambert, J.B. and Weydert-Homer, J.M. (1993b). Dietary inferences from element analysis of bone. In Prehistoric Human Bone Archaeology at the Molecular Level, ed. Lambert, J.B. and Grupe, G., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 217-228. 

Modern human bone samples were analyzed to test the instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and to help establish more complete information on the natural levels of several trace elements in modem bones. The modern bones included seven samples of cortical bone and 16 samples of cancellous bone (eight of which were defatted). All samples were obtained from femoral heads. The data obtained for these 23 samples and a further description of the INAA technique have been reported elsewhere (13). For the purpose of comparison with the archaeological bone samples, this data obtained by using the same INAA technique is summarized in this chapter. 

These results confirm the great difficulty in using buried bone samples in any type of trace element study. Even some of the mummy samples we studied were also contaminated. These results confirm that the analysis of the inorganic components of archaeological bone must be approached with great caution, especially when the bones have been in contact with soils or ground water solutions. Even isotopic studies may be affected by changes caused by recrystallization processes. 

Trace Element Analysis in the Characterization of Archaeological Bone... 

The analysis of archaeological bone presents several problems which are encountered to a much lesser degree in the analysis of inorganic substances where often a discrete source is involved and where the matrix is not as open to contamination by the depositional environment. Nevertheless, bone is one of the most commonly found archaeological materials, and any inferences made from its trace elemental composition would certainly be useful. We relate herein our experiences with the trace element analysis of archaeological bone, the problems encountered in these analyses, and some of the conclusions that we have reached as the result of our measurements. 

Burton, J. J. (1996), Trace elements in bone as palaeodietary indicators, in Orna, M. V. (ed.), Archaeological Chemistry - Organic, Inorganic and Biochemical Analysis, ACS, Washington, DC, pp. 327-333. 

Burton, J.H. 1996. Trace elements in bone as paleodietary indicators. In Archaeological Chemistry Organic, Inorganic, and Biochemical Analysis. M.V. Orna (ed.). ACS Symposium Series 625, pp. 327-333. Washington American Chemical Society. 

Note that any specihc application tends to determine the additional sample preparation required, before the start of the CF-MS measurement, so most applications need to be considered individually. For example, there is very little S in living bone (it is mainly in methionine), while during burial, iron pyrites is often formed. Consequently, much applied archaeological analysis must consider the effects of contamination and alteration during burial and devise appropriate protocols for the elements in question and from the material being sampled. 

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