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COPPER AND BARIUM AS DIETARY DISCRIMINANTS: THE EFFECTS OF DIAGENESIS
Author(s) -
LAMBERT J. B.,
SIMPSON S. V.,
SZPUNAR C. B.,
BUIKSTRA J. E.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.1984.tb00328.x
Subject(s) - diagenesis , electron microprobe , copper , barium , geology , woodland , mineralogy , geochemistry , chemistry , materials science , metallurgy , biology , ecology
In skeletons excavated from Woodland sites, copper and barium levels are found to have been contaminated by influx from the soil environment. Electron microprobe scans for both elements show build‐up along the outer surface of femur cross sections. Elemental levels for Cu and Ba are lower in the femur or fibula than in the more porous rib. The distribution of Cu in the immediately surrounding soil is highly anisotropic. These observations indicate that Cu and Ba should not be used for dietary inferences about ancient populations without independent evidence that diagenesis is not important.