title: Trace elements in buried human bones: intra-population variability of Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios--diet or diagenesis?
abstract: A comparative analysis of trace element data of human skeletal material from four archaeological sites is presented. We show that the state of histomorphological preservation of bone, which is a measurement for the degree of its diagenetic alteration, closely corresponds to the Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios at an intra-population level. This study challenges the validity of dietary studies that are based on the presently used procedures for sample preparation and subsequent evaluation of strontium and barium concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Historical Anthropology and Human Ecology, Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabig
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herrmann
mesh_terms: D001464:Barium / Q000032:analysis*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D002102:Cadaver; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet; D005858:Germany; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009027:Mortuary Practice; D013324:Strontium / Q000032:analysis*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D001464:Barium; D002118:Calcium; D013324:Strontium