Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4433963 Science of The Total Environment 2006 12 Pages PDF
Abstract

Bone element analysis of two Late Roman populations from coastal south-eastern Spain suggests significant diagenesis. Trace element levels, in particular elevated Sr, Pb, Al, Mn, and the Ca/P ratio indicate post-mortem changes in the composition of the bones, preventing use of the data for dietary reconstructions, as well as for the investigation of the different individuals' health conditions, or of links between diet, health and skeletal indicators of growth stress. Such diagenetic biases are more widespread than usually recognized; paleodietary and paleoenvironmental inferences derived from the chemistry of archaeological bones need to be critically assessed.

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