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Tracing the Source of the Elephant And Hippopotamus Ivory from ...

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Chapter 10<br />

A Review <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Published Strontium Isotope Ratio Values for <strong>the</strong> Eastern<br />

Mediterranean and Nor<strong>the</strong>ast Africa<br />

The results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ICP-MS analysis for strontium isotope ratios <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Uluburun<br />

ivory and Maraş Fili samples must be compared against <strong>the</strong> strontium isotope ratios<br />

available in <strong>the</strong> geological literature for <strong>the</strong> areas in question: Northwest Syria/Sou<strong>the</strong>ast<br />

Turkey, <strong>the</strong> Levantine coast, Egypt (Nile River Valley), Nor<strong>the</strong>astern Libya, and<br />

Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Sudan. Unfortunately <strong>the</strong>re are several obstacles to making sound<br />

comparisons between any strontium isotope values obtained for <strong>the</strong> Uluburun/Maraş Fili<br />

samples and <strong>the</strong> geological strontium isotope values, some <strong>of</strong> which have been already<br />

discussed in Chapter Six.<br />

Not only is <strong>the</strong>re a paucity, or a complete lack, <strong>of</strong> information for some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

areas under consideration, but <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>the</strong> research questions <strong>of</strong> interest to geologists are <strong>of</strong><br />

very particular and geographically limited areas. Therefore <strong>the</strong> strontium isotope values<br />

published are not representative for <strong>the</strong> region. Never<strong>the</strong>less, some general trends were<br />

discerned, and are discussed below.<br />

Syria and Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Turkey<br />

The region defined as nor<strong>the</strong>rn and western Syria and sou<strong>the</strong>astern Turkey is<br />

plagued by insufficient strontium isotope data, which is extremely unfortunate<br />

considering this region was almost certainly <strong>the</strong> source <strong>of</strong> quite a bit <strong>of</strong> ivory in <strong>the</strong> Late<br />

Bronze Age trade and home to one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most important trade centers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> era<br />

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