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Multielementary Analysis of Trace Elements and Preliminary Results on Stable Isotopes in Two Italian Prehistoric Sites. Methodological aspects

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Trace Elements in Environmental History

Part of the book series: Proceedings in Life Sciences ((LIFE SCIENCES))

Abstract

This research, born of the interest of paleobiochemical investigation and its potential value in studying the way of life of past human populations, aimed at overcoming some of the main difficulties so far encountered in the application of trace element dosage to dietary reconstruction. These are:

  • the possible existence of intra-individual variations (due to bone and/or kind of tissue, compact or cancellous);

  • the need to evaluate the effect of diagenetic alterations, taking into account the possibility of sample-specific mechanisms, and to set up standardized control procedures;

  • the choice of the more suitable elements, considering that a multielementary approach can be more informative than the dosage of a single element;

  • the possibility to exploit the availability of two independent techniques applicable to paleonutritional reconstruction (trace element and stable isotope dosage) for a reciprocal control and support of the results.

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© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Francalacci, P., Tarli, S.B. (1988). Multielementary Analysis of Trace Elements and Preliminary Results on Stable Isotopes in Two Italian Prehistoric Sites. Methodological aspects. In: Grupe, G., Herrmann, B. (eds) Trace Elements in Environmental History. Proceedings in Life Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73297-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73297-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-73299-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-73297-3

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