Diagenesis and Preservation of Pb Isotopes in Ancient Human Tooth Enamel Using Multiple Samples from the Same Tooth

Summary

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

Complications with diagenetic contamination of ancient human tooth enamel is of primary concern for Pb isotopic studies. While conducting a study of a Caddo skull-and-mandible cemetery in southwest Arkansas (in collaboration with the Caddo Nation), it became clear that many samples were contaminated by soil Pb. Additional samples from the same teeth were subsequently run with different methods. These methods successfully removed the diagenetic Pb content from the teeth. A comparison of multiple samples, their trace elemental concentrations, and their Pb isotopes show clear patterns associated with diagenesis and the lack thereof. The grouping of individuals in clusters provides additional clarity as to what patterned effect diagenesis has on Pb isotopic signatures. The differences between the original and successful methods that led to the removal of contamination will be discussed. While successful, these methods led to the reduction of Pb concentrations in the tooth enamel, making obtaining valid Pb isotopic data more difficult.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

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

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40072.0