Stable isotope analysis has become an essential tool in investigations of ancient migration and paleodietary reconstruction. Because the biogeochemistry of bone collagen and apatite is well known,... Show moreStable isotope analysis has become an essential tool in investigations of ancient migration and paleodietary reconstruction. Because the biogeochemistry of bone collagen and apatite is well known, current methods rely almost exclusively on analyses of bones and teeth; however, dental calculus represents a potentially additional biological source of isotopic data from ancient skeletons. Dental calculus is a mineralized bacterial biofilm that forms on the surfaces of teeth. Sampling dental calculus does not damage the dentition and thus can be used in cases where it is not possible to perform destructive analyses of conventional mineralized tissues. Like bone and dentine, dental calculus contains both inorganic and organic components, allowing measurement of C, N, O, H, and Sr isotopes. Additionally, dental calculus forms as serial, non-remodeling laminar accretions on the tooth surface, opening up the possibility of analyzing discrete time points during the lifetime of an individual. However, as a microbial biofilm and not a human tissue, the biochemistry of dental calculus is complex, containing multiple calcium phosphate mineral phases, organic and inorganic food remains, hundreds of human and bacterial proteins, and diverse biomolecules from thousands of endogenous bacterial taxa. Isotopic investigation of dental calculus is still in its infancy, and many questions remain regarding its formation and processes of diagenesis. This chapter (1) reviews the unique advantages presented by dental calculus as a novel source of biological isotopic data, (2) critically evaluates published isotopic studies of dental calculus, and (3) explores the current challenges of dental calculus stable isotope analysis through a case study of an Ancient Puebloan Basketmaker II population from the American Southwest. Show less
Woolly mammoth fossils on an island where the species eventually dies out, human and animal fossils on the bottom of the North Sea, remains of Siberian unicorns and exceptionally well-preserved... Show moreWoolly mammoth fossils on an island where the species eventually dies out, human and animal fossils on the bottom of the North Sea, remains of Siberian unicorns and exceptionally well-preserved bones from 300,000 years ago from the famous Schöningen archaeological site in Germany: these are the main topics discussed in this thesis.In this dissertation, a vast amount of isotope (d13C and d15N) data from bulk collagen of Quaternary mammalian fossils are presented and discussed. Most of these data are measured at the Centre for Isotope Research (CIO), Groningen (n > 400). The dataset consists of samples from various localities within Eurasia and are taken from human fossils, but mainly from fossils of various animal taxa including extinct species. Many of these faunal species belong to the typical ‘Mammoth steppe fauna’.The results shed light on dietary and habitat characteristics of these animals and hominins through time and space, often during episodes of dramatic climate change. Overall, this thesis, a study of stable isotope data from mammalian fossils, contributes to our understanding of ecological conditions during the Pleistocene / Early Holocene in Eurasia. Show less
