title: Strontium isotope signals in cremated petrous portions as indicator for childhood origin.
abstract: Dental enamel is currently of high informative value in studies concerning childhood origin and human mobility because the strontium isotope ratio in human dental enamel is indicative of geographical origin. However, many prehistoric burials involve cremation and although strontium retains its original biological isotopic composition, even when exposed to very high temperatures, intact dental enamel is rarely preserved in cremated or burned human remains. When preserved, fragments of dental enamel may be difficult to recognize and identify. Finding a substitute material for strontium isotope analysis of burned human remains, reflecting childhood values, is hence of high priority. This is the first study comparing strontium isotope ratios from cremated and non-cremated petrous portions with enamel as indicator for childhood origin. We show how strontium isotope ratios in the otic capsule of the petrous portion of the inner ear are highly correlated with strontium isotope ratios in dental enamel from the same individual, whether inhumed or cremated. This implies that strontium isotope ratios in the petrous bone, which practically always survives cremation, are indicative of childhood origin for human skeletal remains. Hence, the petrous bone is ideal as a substitute material for strontium isotope analysis of burned human remains.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harvig
authors.affiliation: National Museum of Denmark, Conservation and Natural Sciences Department, and The Danish National Research Foundation's Centre for Textile Research (CTR) Prinsens Palæ, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karin Margarita
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Frei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Archaeological Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America.
authors.forename: T Douglas
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lynnerup
mesh_terms: D002048:Burial; D002648:Child; D055700:Cremation; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry; D063426:Human Migration; D006801:Humans; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000737:chemistry*; D013325:Strontium Isotopes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D013325:Strontium Isotopes