TY - JOUR
T1 - Radiocarbon dating and compositional analysis of pre-Columbian human bones
AU - Andrade, E.
AU - Solís, C.
AU - Canto, C. E.
AU - De Lucio, O. G.
AU - Chavez, E.
AU - Rocha, M. F.
AU - Villanueva, O.
AU - Torreblanca, C. A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Work supported partially by the DGAPA UNAM IN103312, IG100313-3 and CONACYT INFR-2009-123655 projects. We would like to thank Arcadio Huerta and M. en C, Eustacio Perez Zavala for accelerator operation and maintenances. We are grateful to I. Hajdas and L. Wacker (ETH Zurich) for technical support and fruitful discussion.
PY - 2014/8/1
Y1 - 2014/8/1
N2 - Analysis of ancient human bones found in "El Cóporo", an archaeological site in Guanajuato, Mexico; were performed using a multi techniques scheme: 14C radiocarbon dating, IBA (Ion Beam Analysis), SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy). We measured the elemental composition of the bones, especially some with a superficial black pigmentation. Soil samples collected from the burial place were also analyzed. The 14C dating was performed with a new High Voltage Europe 1 MV Tandentron Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) recently installed in the IFUNAM (Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México). The radiocarbon dating allowed us to determine the date of death of the individual in a period between the year 890 and 975 AD, which is consistent with the late period of the Cóporo civilization. The element sample analysis of bones with the surface black pigmentation show higher levels of Fe, Mn and Ba compared when bone's black surface was mechanically removed. These three elements were found in soil samples from the skeleton burial place. These results indicate more likely that the bone black coloration is due to a postmortem alteration occurring in the burial environment.
AB - Analysis of ancient human bones found in "El Cóporo", an archaeological site in Guanajuato, Mexico; were performed using a multi techniques scheme: 14C radiocarbon dating, IBA (Ion Beam Analysis), SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy). We measured the elemental composition of the bones, especially some with a superficial black pigmentation. Soil samples collected from the burial place were also analyzed. The 14C dating was performed with a new High Voltage Europe 1 MV Tandentron Accelerator Mass Spectrometer (AMS) recently installed in the IFUNAM (Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México). The radiocarbon dating allowed us to determine the date of death of the individual in a period between the year 890 and 975 AD, which is consistent with the late period of the Cóporo civilization. The element sample analysis of bones with the surface black pigmentation show higher levels of Fe, Mn and Ba compared when bone's black surface was mechanically removed. These three elements were found in soil samples from the skeleton burial place. These results indicate more likely that the bone black coloration is due to a postmortem alteration occurring in the burial environment.
KW - Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
KW - Ion beam analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84902544571&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nimb.2014.02.083
DO - 10.1016/j.nimb.2014.02.083
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0168-583X
VL - 332
SP - 303
EP - 307
JO - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
JF - Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
ER -