Establishing Longitudinal Regional Origins in East Coast North America Using a Modern Strontium and Sulfur Isoscape in Deer Bones from Virginia

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Establishing geographical provenance and life histories of North American colonial individuals is critical for understanding early population movements related to urbanization, immigration, and the changing demographics of an emerging nation. In East Coast North American archaeological studies, oxygen stable isotopes are the primary proxy for regional origin, yet this isotope system is generally limited to latitudinal variation. This study examines bioavailable sulfur and strontium isotopes in Virginia, the source of which is the north-south striking geologic formations in this region. Weathering releases sulfur and strontium into the soil which then propagates up the food chain, a process which functions similarly in both colonial and modern ecosystems. Over 200 modern deer across a 300 km distance are analyzed for sulfur and strontium isotopes in bone collagen and bioapatite, respectively. Preliminary sulfur isotope data shows a 5% shift from coastal to mountainous regions. Pending strontium data will enhance this isoscape and generate a dual-isotope matrix with more nuanced discernment of longitudinal origins and east-west movement. This will be the most comprehensive set of bioavailable sulfur and strontium isotope data for this region. Combined with oxygen isotopes, these new data can provide a more powerful assignment of geographic origins for past individuals.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38339.0