NERC award for Archaeo-Zn project

Recent studies have demonstrated that zinc isotopes in archaeological bone and enamel can provide palaeodietary information. This is particularly useful for samples where no collagen is preserved, preventing palaeodietary reconstruction via carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis. 

This 1-year NERC-funded project, led by Rhiannon Stevens, with Susan Little, aims to expand the prospects of zinc isotopes as palaeodietary and palaeoecological proxies. The project team will first explore whether zinc isotope analysis can provide palaeodietary information for human remains that have been cremated and no longer contain collagen. Secondly they will explore whether zinc isotopes of archaeological plants, animals and humans can provide information about hydrological conditions under which agricultural production was taking place.

The results of this innovative project will provide new information on the palaeodiet of cremated humans, agricultural water use in prehistory and past wetland ecologies.

NERC's Exploring the frontiers of environmental science research provides funding to explore new ideas and approaches that may open up novel paths of research or result in discipline-shifting discovery in environmental science.

Links

• NERC