Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones
Abstract Variation in the trace element chemistry of cortical bone microstructure is delineated for interred and non-interred human femora. This was done to investigate the range of element concentrations that might occur within single bones, specifically the original laminar bone and later osteons,...
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doaj-44e1922e02d044f0b5ac4d37b171a6b52020-11-25T03:59:15ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452020-11-018112310.1186/s40494-020-00457-1Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bonesKaare Lund Rasmussen0George R. Milner1Thomas Delbey2Lilian Skytte3Niels Lynnerup4Jørgen Lange Thomsen5Simone Schiavone6Marielva Torino7Lars Agersnap Larsen8Jesper Lier Boldsen9Cultural Heritage and Archaeometric Research Team (CHART), Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern DenmarkDepartment of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State UniversityCultural Heritage and Archaeometric Research Team (CHART), Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern DenmarkCultural Heritage and Archaeometric Research Team (CHART), Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern DenmarkLaboratory of Biological Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of CopenhagenInstitute of Forensic Medicine, University of Southern DenmarkPontifical Institute of Christian ArchaeologyLaboratory of Science and Techniques Applied to Archaeology, University Suor Orsola Benincasa, Via Santa Caterina da SienaViborg MuseumSection of Anthropology (ADBOU), Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Southern DenmarkAbstract Variation in the trace element chemistry of cortical bone microstructure is delineated for interred and non-interred human femora. This was done to investigate the range of element concentrations that might occur within single bones, specifically the original laminar bone and later osteons, and its potential for investigating chemical life histories. To do so, femora were chosen from individuals who experienced quite different ways of life over the past two millennia. The distributions of Sr, Ba, Cu, and Pb, mostly in partial (early) and complete (late) osteons, in cross-sections of proximal femora were characterized through Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Absolute calibrations of these data were obtained using solution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry on adjacent dissolved bulk samples. Chemical life histories were approximated by classifying bone microstructure into four categories: laminar bone and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation osteons. This four-part sequence, on average, charts the temporal dimension of an individual’s life. Consistent with recent studies of medieval bones, Sr and Ba are thought to be mainly responsive to diet, presumably related to the consumption of mostly locally produced food, while Cu and Pb do the same for heavy metal exposure often attributable to social status or occupation. No systematic differences in these elements were found between interred and non-interred individuals. The effect of diagenesis on interpretations of life histories based on archaeological bone, therefore, are minimized by plotting element concentrations across cortical bone cross-sections.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40494-020-00457-1OsteonsTrace element chemistryLA-ICP-MSSrBaCu |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Kaare Lund Rasmussen George R. Milner Thomas Delbey Lilian Skytte Niels Lynnerup Jørgen Lange Thomsen Simone Schiavone Marielva Torino Lars Agersnap Larsen Jesper Lier Boldsen |
spellingShingle |
Kaare Lund Rasmussen George R. Milner Thomas Delbey Lilian Skytte Niels Lynnerup Jørgen Lange Thomsen Simone Schiavone Marielva Torino Lars Agersnap Larsen Jesper Lier Boldsen Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones Heritage Science Osteons Trace element chemistry LA-ICP-MS Sr Ba Cu |
author_facet |
Kaare Lund Rasmussen George R. Milner Thomas Delbey Lilian Skytte Niels Lynnerup Jørgen Lange Thomsen Simone Schiavone Marielva Torino Lars Agersnap Larsen Jesper Lier Boldsen |
author_sort |
Kaare Lund Rasmussen |
title |
Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones |
title_short |
Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones |
title_full |
Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones |
title_fullStr |
Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones |
title_full_unstemmed |
Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones |
title_sort |
trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones |
publisher |
SpringerOpen |
series |
Heritage Science |
issn |
2050-7445 |
publishDate |
2020-11-01 |
description |
Abstract Variation in the trace element chemistry of cortical bone microstructure is delineated for interred and non-interred human femora. This was done to investigate the range of element concentrations that might occur within single bones, specifically the original laminar bone and later osteons, and its potential for investigating chemical life histories. To do so, femora were chosen from individuals who experienced quite different ways of life over the past two millennia. The distributions of Sr, Ba, Cu, and Pb, mostly in partial (early) and complete (late) osteons, in cross-sections of proximal femora were characterized through Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Absolute calibrations of these data were obtained using solution Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry on adjacent dissolved bulk samples. Chemical life histories were approximated by classifying bone microstructure into four categories: laminar bone and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation osteons. This four-part sequence, on average, charts the temporal dimension of an individual’s life. Consistent with recent studies of medieval bones, Sr and Ba are thought to be mainly responsive to diet, presumably related to the consumption of mostly locally produced food, while Cu and Pb do the same for heavy metal exposure often attributable to social status or occupation. No systematic differences in these elements were found between interred and non-interred individuals. The effect of diagenesis on interpretations of life histories based on archaeological bone, therefore, are minimized by plotting element concentrations across cortical bone cross-sections. |
topic |
Osteons Trace element chemistry LA-ICP-MS Sr Ba Cu |
url |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40494-020-00457-1 |
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