| Title: |
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope variations in tooth dentine serial sections from Wharram Percy
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| Issue: |
J Archaeol Sci 30 (12) |
| Series: |
Journal of Archaeological Science
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| Volume: |
30
(12)
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| Page Start/End: |
1673 - 1684 |
| Biblio Note |
Please note that this is a bibliographic record only, as originally entered into the BIAB database.
The ADS have no files for download, and unfortunately cannot advise further on where to access hard copy or digital versions.
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| Publication Type: |
Journal
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| Abstract: |
The authors report 13C and 15N measurements of serial sections of human deciduous and permanent tooth dentine from archaeological samples taken from the medieval village site of Wharram Percy, Yorkshire, UK. They found a pattern of enrichment, for both 13C and 15N, where the tooth crown was greater than the cervical part of the root, which in turn was greater than the apical portion of the root and the associated rib collagen values. This pattern reflects a decrease in the consumption of isotopically enriched breast milk and the introduction of less enriched weaning foods in the diet. The (mean±SD) difference between the deciduous second molar crowns and corresponding rib samples from the same individuals after two years of age was 1.2±0.4 for 13C and 3.2±0.8 for 15N. The 15N values are as predicted, but as there were no C4 plants at Wharram Percy, this 1.2 enrichment in 13C represents clear evidence of a carbon trophic level effect in collagen from breastfeeding infants. Carbon and nitrogen results also show that the infant diet among those who died in infancy did not differ from those who survived into childhood. This study demonstrates the promise of using dentine serial sections to study the temporal relationships of breastfeeding, weaning, and dietary patterns of single individuals. |
| Year of Publication: |
2003
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| Subjects / Periods: |
|
| Note: |
Author Keywords: Weaning; Palaeodiet; Dentine; Stable isotopes; Carbon; Nitrogen; Wharram Percy
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| Source: |
BIAB
(The British & Irish Archaeological Bibliography (BIAB))
|
| Created Date: |
28 Apr 2004 |
