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

考古学中的多同位素分析：将 AHRC 资助的研究进展商业化

• 批准号: AH/Y00566X/1
• 负责人: Richard Madgwick
• 金额: $ 5.1万
• 依托单位: CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FY00566X%2F1
• 关键词: Multi; isotope; analysis; archaeology; Commercialising

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.

该项目将把在AHRC资助的研究中开发和验证的多同位素方法商业化。这将通过卡迪夫大学(古巴)生物考古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，最大限度地发挥商业挖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学中发展迅速，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的信息，为过去围绕社会、经济和环境变化的高层次问题提供信息。越来越多的人认识到，目前产生的数据的质量不仅有助于解释过去，而且对于评估长期趋势和为政策提供信息(例如，与环境变化、重新开垦和可持续性有关)具有重要价值。同位素分析一直是这些进步的核心，整合了多个同位素系统(如碳、氮、硫、氧、锶、铅)，这意味着饮食、健康和流动性可以重建到比以往任何时候都更高的分辨率。AHRC资助的研究一直处于这些发展的前沿。PI目前正在完成迄今通过FeastNet项目在全球范围内交付的针对动物的最大规模的多同位素研究(使用五个同位素系统)。全球最大的人类多同位素研究是AHRC资助的烧烤人项目(PI：Parker Pearson)。这些重大研究推动了这一学科的发展，展示了在丹德姆使用多个同位素替代物的解释潜力。同时，商业考古部门经历了一个重大扩张阶段。合同考古已经成熟到更安全的地位，主要基础设施项目，如Crossail，过多的主要道路计划和HS2，已经向该部门注入了数千万美元。政府对住房的长期承诺确保了考古工作将继续进行。这些项目生产了大量的材料，包括数百万块动物骨骼和数千块人类骨骼。这些物质具有无与伦比的潜力，可以促进我们对过去社会和环境的理解，但这在很大程度上仍有待开发。在商业项目中很少进行多同位素分析。然而，人们对这些方法的价值的认识正在增加，需求也在增加。2017年，在威尔士的一个单位(Archeolg Brython考古)与PI接洽后，PI承担了他的第一个商业同位素项目。通过口口相传，这些活动现在已经扩展到为13家公司、3个遗产组织和大量没有分析能力的国际大学提供项目。这项建议直接借鉴了AHRC资助的FeastNet项目的方法和宝贵的发现，将使操作专业化，为合同考古和学术部门之间的长期、可持续和商业可行的合作开辟了一条道路。这将通过与该部门包括重点小组和讲习班的密切联系来实现，以确保业务符合商业部门的要求和制度。将制定符合考古公司需求的正式行政工作流程和标准操作程序。它还将涉及开发网站、徽标和品牌以及实验室消耗品，以扩大能力。该项目的最终结果将是一份关于卡迪夫大学生物考古(古巴)商业项目发展轨迹的详细报告，并对未来的方向提出建议。