Retention of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and As on human bones unearthed at a Central Anatolian Early Bronze Age excavation site (Resuloğlu, Turkey)

Authors : Cenk GÜNER, Vugar ALİYEV, Derya ATAMTÜRK, İzzet DUYAR, Tülin SÖYLEMEZOĞLU

Pages : 27-39

View : 25 | Download : 7

Publication Date : 2011-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The retention of zinc insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Zn);, copper insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Cu);, cadmium insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Cd);, lead insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Pb);, and arsenic insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(As); on rib bones belonging to 81 individuals gathered from the Resuloğlu necropolis, a Central Anatolian Early Bronze Age insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(EBA); excavation site, were analyzed. Graphite Atomic Absorption Spectrometry insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(GFAAS); was used for the assays of Pb and Cd. Furthermore, Cu and Zn were evaluated with Fast Sequential Atomic Absorption Spectrometry insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FSAAS); while As was analyzed using the hydride system. The ranges of Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, and As levels were found between 103.96- 837.34 ppm; 1.99-396.46 ppm; 0.13-2.95 ppm; 0.87-34.89 ppm; 0.35-36.43 ppm, respectively. The outcomes vary highly among age groups. In order to reveal the origin of the retentions, soil and water samples obtained from the different regions of the excavation area were also analyzed. Both bone/soil ratios for each element and proximity to the Resuloğlu region, in which rich Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mn ore deposits can be found, support the notion that the origin of the accumulations arises from diagenetic effects. Yet, no influence of metal concentrations was found in water samples over the bones. For Cu retention, especially on bones, it is believed that the major factor behind the accumulation depends not only on diagenetic factors but also burial gifts.
Keywords : Chemical anthropology, bioarchaeology, Early Bronze Age EBA, human bones, diagenetic factors