Theme:
Theories and methods in archaeological sciences
Session format:
Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each
Title:
Controls and uncertainties in creating Sr isotope biosphere maps for migration studies.
Content:
The use of isotope composition, especially Sr isotopes, has radically changed the way in which people study and interpret human mobility in the past. The method has provided insights into human movement that were not previously possible, highlighting such areas as childhood movement and the degree of migration in some prehistoric periods.
The Sr isotope method depends upon linking the composition of human tissues, such as tooth enamel, to geographic areas through the composition of ingested locally produced food. This is linked, through soil composition, to the strontium sources which are usually the underlying rocks.
The application of this method, to faunal migration problems, is outstripping the ability of scientists to provide robust reference datasets against which the faunal tissues can be tested. This session examines the current state of biosphere mapping, considered the merits of various analogues, and the statistical and mapping methods used. The aim of the session is to produce a focussed approach to mapping that will underpin migration studies over the next years to come.
Keywords:
Sr-isotopes, biosphere, migration, mapping, enamel.
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Main organiser:
Jane Evans (United Kingdom) 1
Co-organisers:
Prof Karin Frei (Denmark) 2
Affiliations:
1. British Geological Survey
2. National Museum of Denmark
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