Strontium and zinc content of the human skeletal remains from the Iron Age sites in North and South of Iran, as the paleomigration and paleodietary indicators

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Archaeology, University of Tehran, Iran

2 VandeGraaff Laboratory, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI)

Abstract

This research focuses on reconstructing migration and dietary strategies of individuals in the Iron Age. Elemental analyses from archaeological skeletal remains yield an important perspective on temporal shifts in diet in relation to social and environmental circumstances. The elemental ratio data such as dietary and environmental changes have shed light on crucial issues in archaeology. The central concern of the research is about Sr, Zn and Ca compositions of teeth (N=16) from two Iron Age sites of Gohar Tepe and Sanjar tepe, in an effort to ascertain whether this material provides reliable paleodietary and paleomigration information.
This study suggests that Sr/Ca ratio most likely demonstrates paleoecological as well as paleomigration information obtained from these sites, it is also demonstrated that geologically similar sites differ in the degree they impart certain elements to ancient enamel and Zn/Ca and Sr/Ca ratio indicates paleonutritional data. Moreover, the results obtained by trace elemental analysis were combined with the results of our previous isotopic studies on the materials of Gohar Tepe site northern Iran, to provide a basis to interpret variable paleodietary systems of its occupants.

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