Down To The Bone: Transforming Isotope Analysis Through The Temporal Investigation Of Human And Animal Bone

稳定同位素分析是考古学中普遍存在的研究应用，稳定碳和氮同位素通常被用来揭示过去人类社会的饮食生态。然而，令人惊讶的是，人们对它周围的时间分辨率知之甚少，随着时间的推移，目前使用的传统批量方法出现了缺陷。该项目将通过在单个骨骼切片内进行新陈代谢测序的经验证据来解决时间性问题，以消除对多种元素的使用，减少对有限考古材料的破坏。这将为全球的采样策略和考古解释提供指导，并在采样骨骼材料时显著提高伦理考虑和数据产量。在过去的文明中，目前用于阐明饮食传记的方法需要每个人使用几种骨骼元素来捕捉不同时间段的饮食信号，这是因为我们对骨骼代谢及其元素之间的差异的了解。然而，这导致多种元素被部分破坏，并且比较不同功能的不同骨骼的有效性已经被仔细审查(例如，Fahy等人)。2017年)。同时，研究表明，同一骨骼元素内存在时间变异性(例如，Matsubayashi和Tayasu 2019；Matsuo等人)。2019年)。因此，该项目将探索一种新的单元素方法的可能性，即沿着一块骨骼的生长轴连续采集多个样本(遵循Matsubayashi和Tayasu 2019年)，在增加考古信息的同时将破坏降至最低。由于其坚固的性质和皮质厚度，肱骨和股骨是研究中的两个元素。在人类遗骸附近，将对大型家养动物进行类似的研究，以更高的时间分辨率探索畜牧业实践。还将通过观察和比较两足动物(人类)和四足动物(动物)上肢骨骼新陈代谢的趋势来检验机械负荷的影响。生化变化将通过多个连续片段之间的碳和氮同位素值进行检查。与包括骨密度在内的组织形态计量学应用相结合，这将在样本横断面上建立时间分辨率。统计分析将揭示不同证据之间的关系，主要是重塑速度、同位素值和各自的骨段之间的关系。还将评估利用其他科学应用(如蛋白质组学、化合物特定的同位素分析)在研究中取得进展的潜力。目标-更好地了解皮质骨重塑中的元素内差异以及这如何影响同位素价值。-使用组织形态计量学技术创建人类皮质骨内骨骼重塑差异的整体研究，以建立代谢年表。-重访进行多元素同位素分析以比较证据线的组合。-检查对动物遗骸使用节段性骨胶原分析的有效性，以对饲养技术进行推断。-为新的采样策略提供指导，以解决关于生活史的特定考古问题，建立皮质骨的代谢年代学有可能改革考古遗迹的同位素分析方法。随着分析量的不断增加，至关重要的是，我们的抽样必须得到更好的信息，我们能够理解我们正在分析的时间尺度。通过引入一种新的抽样策略，即只需从一个元素中收集多个时间平均值，我希望完善我们的考古科学技术和伦理标准

Stable isotope analysis is a ubiquitous research application in archaeology with stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes being routinely used to reveal the dietary ecology of past human societies. However, surprisingly little is known of the temporal resolution surrounding it and, over time, pitfalls have appeared in the traditional bulk method currently utilised. This project will address the issue of temporality through empirical evidence of metabolic sequencing within a single section of bone to eliminate the use of multiple elements, reducing the destruction of finite archaeological material. This will provide guidance for sampling strategies and archaeological interpretations globally, and substantially improve ethical considerations and data yield when sampling skeletal material. Current methods used to elucidate dietary biographies in past civilisations require several skeletal elements per individual to capture dietary signals for different time periods due to our understanding of bone metabolism and its variation between elements. However, this results in multiple elements being partially destroyed and the validity of comparing different bones of differing functions has been scrutinised (e.g., Fahy et al. 2017). Meanwhile, research suggests that temporal variability exists within the same skeletal element (e.g., Matsubayashi and Tayasu 2019; Matsuo et al. 2019). Thus, this project will explore the potential for a new single-element method, where multiple successive samples are taken along the growth axis of one bone (following Matsubayashi and Tayasu 2019), multiplying archaeological information whilst minimising destruction. The humerus and the femur are the two elements under investigation, due to their robust nature and cortical thickness. Adjacent to human remains, large domestic fauna will be similarly studied, to explore husbandry practices at a higher temporal resolution. The effect of mechanical loading will also be examined by observing and comparing trends in metabolism in the upper limb bones between bipeds (humans) and quadrupeds (fauna). Biochemical variation will be examined by carbon and nitrogen isotope values between multiple successive segments. Paired with histomorphometric applications including osteon population density, this will establish a temporal resolution across the sampled transect. Statistical analyses will reveal the relationships between the different lines of evidence, predominantly the relationship between remodelling rates, isotope values and respective bone segments. The potential for advancement in the research using other scientific applications will also be assessed (e.g, proteomics, compound-specific isotope analysis).Objectives- To better understand intra-element variation in cortical bone remodeling and how this impacts isotope values.- To create a holistic study of bone remodelling variation within human cortical bone using histomorphometric techniques to establish a metabolic chronology.- To revisit assemblages where multiple-element isotope analysis was carried out to compare the lines of evidence.- Examine the validity of using segmental bone collagen analysis on faunal remains to make inferences on husbandry techniques.- To provide guidance for new sampling strategies to address specific archaeological questions on life histories, cultural or social shifts, and interpretations of past diets and reduce the destructive impact on archaeological remains.Establishing the metabolic chronology of cortical bone has the potential to reform how isotope analysis of archaeological remains is carried out. With the ever-increasing amount of analyses being undertaken, it is vital that our sampling is better informed and that we can understand the timescale that we are analysing. In introducing a novel sampling strategy where multiple time averages can be collected from just a single element, I hope to refine both our technical and ethical standards for archaeological science