An isotopic palaeoenvironmental study of human skeletal remains from the Nile Valley
An isotopic palaeoenvironmental study of human skeletal remains from the Nile Valley
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DOI：
10.1016/s0031-0182(96)00067-3
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发表时间：
1996-11-01
影响因子：
3
通讯作者：
Longinelli, A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Iacumin, P;Bocherens, H;Longinelli, A
对尼罗河流域的人类骨骼遗骸进行了稳定同位素测量，年龄范围从大约7000年到1750年B. P.，并对一组其他样本进行了考古食物遗骸。分析骨样本中碳酸羟基磷灰石的δ（18）O（PO 43-）、δ（18）O（CO 32-）和δ（13）C（CO 32-）以及胶原蛋白的δ（13）C和δ（15）N。食物残渣和组织取样器分析了它们的δ（13）C和δ（15）N值。骨胶原、磷灰石和食物残留物（部分代表古埃及的饮食）的同位素组成表明，他们的饮食包括C-3植物食物，可能还有动物资源（淡水鱼和C-3动物）。一个相当令人惊讶的观察结果是，从非常贫穷的Gebelein村到富裕城镇阿苏特的中产阶级，再到死后经历木乃伊化过程的杰出人物，不同社会阶层的遗骸的同位素组成之间缺乏差异。从古气候学的角度来看，三角洲（18）O（PO 43-）值，从20.6到24.5千分之一，似乎反映了尼罗河水的同位素组成（也与相对湿度有关），而不是真实的气候（温度）随时间的变化。碳酸盐和磷酸盐的氧同位素组成相同的样品（从30.2至32.5和从20.6至22.2，分别）建议同位素平衡条件，从而确认也使用碳酸盐测量古气候学研究的可能性，至少在最近和保存完好的样品的情况下。
Stable isotope measurements were carried out on human skeletal remains from the Nile Valley, ranging in age from about 7000 to 1750 yr B.P. and on a set of other samples among which are archaeological food remains. Bone samples were analyzed for delta(18)O(PO43-), delta(18)O(CO32-) and delta(13)C(CO32-) of carbonate hydroxylapatite and delta(13)C and delta(15)N of collagen. Food remains and tissue sampler were analyzed for their delta(13)C and delta(15)N values. The isotopic composition of bone collagen, apatite and food remains (partially representative of the diet in ancient Egypt) suggest a mixed diet including C-3 plant food and,probably, animal resources (both fresh-water fish and C-3 animals). A rather surprising observation is the lack of differences between isotopic composition of remains of different social classes spanning from the very poor village of Gebelein to the middle class of the rich town of Asyut to the distinguished people who underwent mummification processes after their death. From the palaeoclimatological point of view, the delta(18)O(PO43-) values,ranging from 20.6 to 24.5 parts per thousand, seem to reflect the isotopic composition of Nile river water (also related to relative humidity) rather than real climatic (temperature) variations through time. The oxygen isotope compositions of carbonate and phosphate of the same samples (from 30.2 to 32.5 and from 20.6 to 22.2, respectively) suggest isotopic equilibrium conditions, thus confirming the possibility of also using the carbonate measurements for palaeoclimatological studies, at least in the case of recent and well preserved samples.