Farklı Arkeolojik Kemik Türlerinde Element Birkiminin Belirlenmesi: Tepecik-Çiftlik Örneği

Abstract

In this study, the accumulation of elements in the ribs and metatarsal and metacarpal bones of 25 individuals dated Neolithic period from the Tepecik-Çiftlik archaeological site within the Niğde province were analyzed. The similarities and differences among the elemental changes of the samples after burial were evaluated by comparing the amount of the elements detected in the bone groups and the femurs of the same individuals. When the elemental changes after burial were evaluated, the dimension of the diagenetic effect on the bone groups was tried to be understood by comparing the amounts of elements obtained from the soil and faunal bones in the layers where the samples were found. 17 elements were analyzed in a total of 38 bones consisting of ribs, metatarsals and metacarpals. These elements were studied in three subgroups; the elements providing information on the preservation status of the bone (Ca, P, Ca / P, Sr/Ca and Fe/Mn); the ones reflecting the nutritional model (Sr, Ba, Mg, Zn and Cu); the elements providing information on diagenesis (Al, Fe, K, Mn, Na, Pb, U, Zr and Y). In studies conducted on the nutritional models of past populations, it has been found that elemental changes are occurred between bone and soil considering the elements that are accepted as indicators of bone preservation, and the change is found to be higher in ribs than the other bones. It is also supported by archaeological studies that the effect of diagenesis with elements that are lower than the amount of soil in the bone ash is evaluated. Magnesium and copper, which are used in the proportional estimation of the faunal and floral based diet, were used for estimation of diagenetic process on samples from Tepecik-Çiftlik population since their levels are out of the accepted reference values for the archaeological bones. Another aim of the study was to investigate whether or not metatarsal and metacarpal bones, which are similar to femur due to their structural characteristics, can be an alternative to the femur bone that has been frequently proposed to use in the past dietary reconstruction studies. In terms of element contents, some differences between the femur and metatarsal and metacarpal bones was determined. Statistical analyses are used to reveal the causes of the differences among the bone groups. In the correlation matrix, the diagenetic effect of different elements throughout the bone groups was determined. It has been evaluated that the zirconium effect is high in elemental deposits in the metatarsal and metacarpal bones. The result has interpreted like the preparation processes are effective in the differentiation of the amounts of the elements in the femur and metatarsal and metacarpal bones.