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Nonlinearity in the relationship between bone Sr/Ca and diet: paleodietary implications
1Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Strontium in archaeological human bones is not a simple indicator of plant versus meat consumption. Bone strontium reflects high-mineral foods, not a precise trophic level or specific dietary composition.
Area of Science:
- Archaeological science
- Paleodietary studies
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Strontium (Sr) in archaeological human bones is commonly used to infer relative plant and meat dietary proportions.
- This method assumes a direct proportional relationship between bone Sr and dietary plant/meat ratios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the quantitative relationship between bone strontium and dietary composition.
- To determine the reliability of bone strontium as an index of trophic position and specific food consumption.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative modeling of strontium uptake in human bones.
- Analysis of factors influencing strontium deposition, including dietary calcium and culinary practices.
Main Results:
- A simple proportional relationship between bone strontium and dietary plant/meat ratio was not found.
- Bone strontium levels are disproportionately sensitive to high-calcium foods and minor dietary components.
- Specific food consumption cannot be accurately calculated from bone strontium levels alone.
Conclusions:
- Bone strontium quantitatively reflects the average dietary strontium to calcium (Sr/Ca) ratio.
- Bone strontium and barium are better indicators of high-mineral dietary components rather than precise trophic position.
- Rethinking the interpretation of strontium as a direct measure of paleodietary plant/meat ratios is necessary.