Putting the "Chemistry" Back into Archaeological Bone Chemistry Analysis: Modeling Potential Paleodietary Indicators

Criteria for a model for evaluating elements as potential paleodietary indicators are derived from information on the structure, remodeling, and mineral composition of bone. Eleven elements—aluminum, barium, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, strontium, and zinc—are discussed as potential dietary indicators from the standpoint of physiology and mineral metabolism. The strontium model, which remains the only valid physiologically based model for use in bone chemistry studies in archaeology, is also discussed and it is from the principles inherent in this model that the model presented is derived. The basic tenets of this paper are: (1) without a firm physiological basis, no element is a valid paleodietary indicator; (2) there is great deal of misuse of elemental data in archaeological bone chemistry that is fundamentally unscientific; and (3) based on current knowledge, only barium and strontium can be considered valid paleodietary indicators.