Multi-isotope analysis in archaeology: Commercialising advances in AHRC-funded research

该项目将商业化在ahrc资助的研究中开发和验证的多同位素方法。这将通过卡迪夫大学生物考古（CUBA）分析和研究咨询服务的发展，专业化和扩展来实现。最终，这将在考古公司和学术部门之间建立长期的、商业上可行的合作，以最大限度地发挥商业发掘中产生的大量骨骼材料的潜力。近年来，生物分子方法在考古领域取得了迅速进展，这意味着可以获得关于人类、动物和景观的更高分辨率和多样化信息，从而为围绕过去社会、经济和环境变化的高层次问题提供了信息。人们日益认识到，目前正在编制的数据的质量远远超出了对过去的解释，而且在评估长期趋势和为政策提供信息（例如与环境变化、重新放野和可持续性有关的数据）方面具有很大价值。同位素分析一直是这些进步的核心，多种同位素系统（如碳、氮、硫、氧、锶、铅）的整合意味着饮食、健康和流动性可以以比以往更高的分辨率重建。ahrc资助的研究一直处于这些发展的前沿。PI目前正在完成迄今为止通过FeastNet项目向全球交付的最大规模的动物多同位素研究（使用五种同位素系统）。全球最大的人类多同位素研究是由ahrc资助的烧杯人项目（PI: Parker Pearson）。这些重大研究推动了该学科的发展，并展示了串联使用多种同位素代用物的解释潜力。与此同时，商业考古部门经历了一个大规模扩张的阶段。随着横贯铁路（Crossrail）等重大基础设施项目、大量主要道路计划和HS2高速公路项目为该行业注入了数千万英镑，合同考古学已经成熟到一个更安全的位置。政府对住房的长期承诺保证了考古工作将继续进行。这些项目产生了大量的材料，包括数以百万计的动物骨骼和成千上万的人类骨骼。这些材料体在促进我们对过去社会和环境的理解方面具有无与伦比的潜力，但这在很大程度上仍未得到开发。在商业项目中很少进行多同位素分析。然而，人们越来越认识到这些方法的价值，需求也在增加。在威尔士的一个单位（Archeoleg Brython Archaeology）接洽后，PI于2017年开始了他的第一个商业同位素项目。通过口口相传，这些业务现已扩展到为13家公司、3家文物组织和大量不具备分析能力的国际大学提供项目。该提案直接借鉴了由美国人权协会资助的“节日网”项目的方法和有价值的发现，将使运作专业化，为合同考古学和学术界之间的长期、可持续和商业上可行的合作开辟了一条道路。这将通过与业界，包括焦点小组和讲习班的密切联系来实现，以确保行动符合商业部门的要求和系统。将根据考古公司的需要制定正式的行政工作流程和标准操作程序。它还将涉及网站、标志和品牌以及实验室耗材的开发，以扩大产能。该项目最终将在卡迪夫大学生物考古（CUBA）的商业项目轨迹的详细报告，并对未来的方向提出建议。

This project will commercialise multi-isotope methods developed and validated in AHRC-funded research. This will be achieved through the development, professionalisation and expansion of the Cardiff University BioArchaeology (CUBA) analytical and research consultation services. Ultimately, this will forge long term, commercially viable collaboration between archaeological companies and academic departments to maximise the potential of the vast quantities of osseous material produced in commercial excavations.Biomolecular methods have advanced rapidly in recent years in archaeology, meaning ever higher resolution and diverse information can be acquired about humans, animals and landscapes, feeding into high level questions surrounding social, economic and environmental change in the past. There is an increasing recognition that the quality of the data that is now being produced is useful well beyond interpreting the past and is of great value for assessing long term trends and informing policy (e.g. in relation to environmental change, rewilding and sustainability). Isotope analysis has been at the core of these advancements, with the integration of multiple isotopes systems (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen, strontium, lead) meaning diet, health and mobility can be reconstructed to a higher resolution than ever. AHRC-funded research has been at the forefront of these developments. The PI is currently completing the largest multi-isotope study (using five isotope systems) on animals yet delivered globally on the FeastNet project. The largest human multi-isotope study globally is the AHRC-funded Beaker People Project (PI: Parker Pearson). These major studies have propelled the discipline forward and demonstrated the interpretative potential of using multiple isotope proxies in tandem.At the same time, the commercial archaeology sector has undergone a phase of major expansion. Contract archaeology has matured to a more secure position with major infrastructure projects such as Crossrail, a plethora of major road schemes and HS2 having injected tens of millions into the sector. The government's long-term commitment to housing ensures that the archaeological work will continue. These projects produce vast quantities of material, including millions of animal bones and thousands of human skeletons. These bodies of material have unparalleled potential for advancing our understanding of past societies and environment, but this remains largely untapped. with multi-isotope analysis rarely conducted in commercial projects. Awareness of the value of these methods is, however, increasing and so is demand. The PI undertook his first commercial isotope project in 2017 after being approached by a unit in Wales (Archeoleg Brython Archaeology). Through word of mouth, these operations have now expanded to delivering projects for thirteen companies, three heritage organisations and a large number of international universities who do not have the analytical capacity. Drawing directly on the methods and the valuable findings of the AHRC-funded FeastNet project, this proposal will professionalise operations, forging a path to long term, sustainable and commercially viable collaborations between contract archaeology and the academic sector. This will be achieved through close liaison with the sector including focus groups and workshops to ensure that operations are tailored to the requirements and systems of the commercial sector. Formalised administrative workflows and standard operating procedures will be developed that align to the needs of archaeological companies. It will also involve the development of a website, logo and branding as well as laboratory consumables to expand capacity. The project will culminate in a detailed report on the trajectory of commercial projects at Cardiff University BioArchaeology (CUBA) with recommendations for future directions.