Strontium Isoscape Biogeochemistry, Human Developmental Biology, and Residential Biography

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Recent Advances in Material Sourcing and Provenience Studies in Africa" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Interpretation of chemical and isotopic tracers of individual life history requires a realistic understanding of skeletal biology and physiology, particularly gender differences in mineral nutritional requirements for reproduction such as lactation, which may affect bone mineral elemental turnover and transfer of mineral from mother to offspring. Teeth formed prior to weaning may contain substantial amounts of strontium and other elements from the maternal skeleton. Pre-weaning teeth may in part reflect maternal provenience while post-weaning teeth may record the provenience of the individual analyzed. Therefore, enamel mineralization timing and maternal input must be considered in sample selection and 87Sr/86Sr interpretation. Accurate bioavailable strontium isoscape reconstruction requires a realistic understanding of rock and soil chemistry and weathering. Although strontium-87 increases with geological age, 87Sr/86Sr variation is primarily controlled by the abundance of rubidium-87, which is the parent isotope of 87Sr. Rocks with high Rb/Sr have high 87Sr/86Sr. Ancient Precambrian rocks with low Rb/Sr can have 87Sr/86Sr as low as recent Quaternary lavas and sediments. Site selection for isoscape reconstruction should consider Rb/Sr variation in sample site selection. Examples from varied geologies in eastern Africa will be presented to illustrate primary control of Rb/Sr on strontium isoscape variation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)   •
• Recent Advances in Material Sourcing and Provenience Studies in Africa

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37438.0