Calcium isotopes in juvenile milk-consumers

L. M. Reynard; J. A. Pearson; G. M. Henderson; R. E.M. Hedges

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4754.2012.00715.x

Calcium isotopes in juvenile milk-consumers

L. M. Reynard, J. A. Pearson, G. M. Henderson, R. E.M. Hedges

Geosciences Department

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

The calcium isotope ratios (δ^44/42Ca) in milk-consuming infants and juveniles are compared to adults at two archaeological sites to test whether milk consumption is detectable in the skeleton using calcium isotopes. At Aşi{dotless}kli{dotless} Höyük, δ^44/42Ca is correlated with δ¹⁵N and differs significantly between juveniles and adults, suggesting that δ^44/42Ca is responding to dietary milk input. However, at Christ Church, Spitalfields, no correlation between δ^44/42Ca and δ¹⁵N or age is noted. At this site, δ^44/42Ca of adult females is not related to the minimum number of births, and we conclude that the maternal skeleton is not sufficiently isotopically perturbed for this signal to remain throughout her lifetime. Growth may result in an increase in very young infants' δ^44/42Ca, in contrast to an expected decrease due to milk consumption, complicating the interpretation of the data. We conclude that milk consumption does not always result in a change in skeletal δ^44/42Ca, or is masked by other effects.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	946-957
Number of pages	12
Journal	Archaeometry
Volume	55
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4754.2012.00715.x
State	Published - Oct 2013

Keywords

Calcium
Isotope
Milk
Nitrogen
Weaning

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10.1111/j.1475-4754.2012.00715.x

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title = "Calcium isotopes in juvenile milk-consumers",

abstract = "The calcium isotope ratios (δ44/42Ca) in milk-consuming infants and juveniles are compared to adults at two archaeological sites to test whether milk consumption is detectable in the skeleton using calcium isotopes. At A{\c s}i{dotless}kli{dotless} H{\"o}y{\"u}k, δ44/42Ca is correlated with δ15N and differs significantly between juveniles and adults, suggesting that δ44/42Ca is responding to dietary milk input. However, at Christ Church, Spitalfields, no correlation between δ44/42Ca and δ15N or age is noted. At this site, δ44/42Ca of adult females is not related to the minimum number of births, and we conclude that the maternal skeleton is not sufficiently isotopically perturbed for this signal to remain throughout her lifetime. Growth may result in an increase in very young infants' δ44/42Ca, in contrast to an expected decrease due to milk consumption, complicating the interpretation of the data. We conclude that milk consumption does not always result in a change in skeletal δ44/42Ca, or is masked by other effects.",

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author = "Reynard, {L. M.} and Pearson, {J. A.} and Henderson, {G. M.} and Hedges, {R. E.M.}",

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T1 - Calcium isotopes in juvenile milk-consumers

AU - Reynard, L. M.

AU - Pearson, J. A.

AU - Henderson, G. M.

AU - Hedges, R. E.M.

PY - 2013/10

Y1 - 2013/10

N2 - The calcium isotope ratios (δ44/42Ca) in milk-consuming infants and juveniles are compared to adults at two archaeological sites to test whether milk consumption is detectable in the skeleton using calcium isotopes. At Aşi{dotless}kli{dotless} Höyük, δ44/42Ca is correlated with δ15N and differs significantly between juveniles and adults, suggesting that δ44/42Ca is responding to dietary milk input. However, at Christ Church, Spitalfields, no correlation between δ44/42Ca and δ15N or age is noted. At this site, δ44/42Ca of adult females is not related to the minimum number of births, and we conclude that the maternal skeleton is not sufficiently isotopically perturbed for this signal to remain throughout her lifetime. Growth may result in an increase in very young infants' δ44/42Ca, in contrast to an expected decrease due to milk consumption, complicating the interpretation of the data. We conclude that milk consumption does not always result in a change in skeletal δ44/42Ca, or is masked by other effects.

AB - The calcium isotope ratios (δ44/42Ca) in milk-consuming infants and juveniles are compared to adults at two archaeological sites to test whether milk consumption is detectable in the skeleton using calcium isotopes. At Aşi{dotless}kli{dotless} Höyük, δ44/42Ca is correlated with δ15N and differs significantly between juveniles and adults, suggesting that δ44/42Ca is responding to dietary milk input. However, at Christ Church, Spitalfields, no correlation between δ44/42Ca and δ15N or age is noted. At this site, δ44/42Ca of adult females is not related to the minimum number of births, and we conclude that the maternal skeleton is not sufficiently isotopically perturbed for this signal to remain throughout her lifetime. Growth may result in an increase in very young infants' δ44/42Ca, in contrast to an expected decrease due to milk consumption, complicating the interpretation of the data. We conclude that milk consumption does not always result in a change in skeletal δ44/42Ca, or is masked by other effects.

KW - Calcium

KW - Isotope

KW - Milk

KW - Nitrogen

KW - Weaning

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DO - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2012.00715.x

M3 - Article

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VL - 55

SP - 946

EP - 957

JO - Archaeometry

JF - Archaeometry

IS - 5

ER -

Calcium isotopes in juvenile milk-consumers

Abstract

Keywords

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