Archaeo-Zn: Expanding the prospects of zinc isotopes as palaeodietary and palaeoenvironmental proxies

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Recent studies have demonstrated that zinc isotopes in archaeological bone and enamel can provide palaeodietary information. This is particularly useful for samples where no collagen is preserved, preventing palaeodietary reconstruction via carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. Our project aims to expand the prospects of zinc isotopes as palaeodietary and palaeoecological proxies. First we will explore whether zinc isotope analysis can provide palaeodietary information for human remains that have been cremated and no longer contain collagen. Cremation was the chosen burial practice in many areas of the world and accessing palaeodietary information from these cremations is currently not possible, thus the dietary habits of a significant proportion of past populations are entirely unknown. Zinc isotopes have the potential to unlock dietary information from cremated remains and illuminate the hidden dietary habits of this understudied group. Second we will explore whether zinc isotopes of archaeological plants, animals and humans can provide information about hydrological conditions under which agricultural production was taking place. This is important as since the advent of farming, water has been central to agricultural production, yet the use of natural/manipulated water resources in prehistoric agriculture is poorly understood. Improved understanding of the water management practices early farmers used to make agriculture a success has implications for developing future strategies for sustainable food production systems in a world where climate unpredictability threatens agricultural resilience.