Crossing the Borders: New Methods and Techniques in the Study of Archaeological Materials from the Caribbean
by Corrine L. Hoffman, et. al.
by Corrine L. Hoffman, et. al.
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Trac<strong>in</strong>g Human Mobility with 87 Sr/ 86 Sr / 225<br />
soils <strong>and</strong> large burial assemblages <strong>from</strong> archaeological sites on isl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region<br />
should become available. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore <strong>the</strong> isotope composition <strong>of</strong> an element<br />
that is not present <strong>in</strong> significant concentrations <strong>in</strong> seawater should be studied (e.g.,<br />
neo dymium or lead). Complete Sr- Nd- Pb analyses <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gourde samples will be<br />
undertaken to assess if comb<strong>in</strong>ed isotope data can better constra<strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>dividual’s<br />
provenance area.<br />
Conclusions<br />
87<br />
Sr/ 86 Sr has been determ<strong>in</strong>ed for 50 well- preserved enamel samples <strong>from</strong> human<br />
skeletal rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>from</strong> <strong>the</strong> site <strong>of</strong> Anse à la Gourde. Iterative exclusion <strong>of</strong> outliers<br />
based on a 95 percent confidence <strong>in</strong>terval has allowed <strong>the</strong> def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>of</strong> a normally<br />
distributed subset <strong>of</strong> teeth, <strong>in</strong>ferred to represent <strong>the</strong> range <strong>in</strong> 87 Sr/ 86 Sr <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> local<br />
population. This local group has mean 87 Sr/ 86 Sr <strong>of</strong> 0.70914 <strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ard deviation<br />
0.00005. Fourteen teeth (28 percent) were identified as outliers. The outly<strong>in</strong>g<br />
teeth are thought to represent <strong>in</strong>dividuals who migrated to Anse à la Gourde after<br />
<strong>the</strong> completion <strong>of</strong> enamel formation. At present a def<strong>in</strong>ite provenance area cannot<br />
be assigned to nonlocal <strong>in</strong>dividuals. Regard<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> local burials, a provenance <strong>from</strong><br />
sites situated <strong>in</strong> a similar geochemical environment <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region cannot be ruled<br />
out. Local soil <strong>and</strong> enamel 87 Sr: 86 Sr ratios largely correspond with that <strong>of</strong> seawaterderived<br />
strontium, which may have dom<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> diet <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> environment.<br />
The data suggest that <strong>in</strong> coastal environments <strong>the</strong> mar<strong>in</strong>e environment may create<br />
a common coastal signature <strong>in</strong>stead <strong>of</strong> a specific local signature.<br />
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