Bone, archaeological strontium isotope analysis

Bone and enamel, archaeological, strontium isotope analysis, 102-104 Bone chemistry, principles, 116-117 Bone materials in archaeological soils and sediments, 198, 200-204 Botswana prehistoric mines, specular hermatite source fingerprinting, 460-479... 

Strontium Isotope Analysis of Archaeological Enamel and Bone... 

All tooth and bone samples were initially prepared in the Laboratory for Archaeological Chemistry by the first author. Modem faunal samples for strontium isotope analysis were placed in a crucible and ashed at approximately 800°C for 10 hours. The bone samples were then crushed in an agate mortar and pestle. The teeth were removed from modem fauna mandibles after ashing and crushed and stored separately from the bone. 

The place of origin of prehistoric people can also be determined. The isotopic proveniencing of human remains, using ratios of strontium isotopes, has been employed in archaeology for approximately 20 years. Strontium isotope analyses have been used successfully in a number of studies. The basic principle involves comparison of isotope ratios in human tooth enamel with local levels in bone or other materials. Because isotopic ratios vary geographically, values in human teeth (marking place of birth) that differ from the local ratio (place of death) indicate migration. This method of analysis is described in more detail in Chap. 8, Provenience and Provenance. 

Turekian KK, Kulp JL (1956) Strontirrm content in human bones. Science 124 405-406 Ttrross N, Behrensmeyer AK, Eanes ED (1989) Strontium increases and crystallinity changes in taphonomic and archaeological bone. J Archaeol Sci 16 661-672 Van der Merwe NJ, Lee-Thorp JA, Thackeray JF, Hall-Martin A, Kmger FJ, Coetzee H, Bell RHV, Lindeque M (1990) Somce-area determination of elephant ivory by isotopic analysis. Nature 346 744-746... 

The analysis proceeds through the sampling of tooth enamel to obtain the isotopic signal of the place of birth. The local isotopic signal can be determined in several ways in human bone from the individuals whose teeth are analyzed, from the bones of humans or archaeological fauna at the site, or from modem fauna in the vicinity. The local geological isotope signals of strontium have been constant over the last several 1,000 years. These isotope ratios have been reported for the rocks. 

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