Lund University Publications

Recommendations for stable isotope analysis of charred archaeological crop remians

• Mark

Abstract

Stable isotope analysis of plant remains recovered from archaeological sites is becoming more routine. There remains a lack of consensus, however, on how to appropriately select archaeological plant remains for isotopic analysis, how to account for differences in preservation and the effect of potential contamination, and how to interpret the measured isotope values in terms of the conditions in which the plants grew. In this paper, we outline the main issues to be considered when planning and conducting an isotopic study of archaeobotanical remains. These include: 1) setting out the research question(s) to be addressed in such a study, 2) considering the archaeological context from which plant remains derive, 3) determining appropriate... (More)

Stable isotope analysis of plant remains recovered from archaeological sites is becoming more routine. There remains a lack of consensus, however, on how to appropriately select archaeological plant remains for isotopic analysis, how to account for differences in preservation and the effect of potential contamination, and how to interpret the measured isotope values in terms of the conditions in which the plants grew. In this paper, we outline the main issues to be considered when planning and conducting an isotopic study of archaeobotanical remains. These include: 1) setting out the research question(s) to be addressed in such a study, 2) considering the archaeological context from which plant remains derive, 3) determining appropriate sample size given the inherent variability in isotope values of plants growing in the same cultivation plots, 4) establishing the conditions in which plant remains have been preserved and potential effects on their isotope values, and 5) accounting for possible contamination during deposition. With these issues in mind, we propose some recommendations for researchers to follow when planning and conducting an isotopic study of archaeobotanical remains. (Less)

Abstract (Swedish)

Stable isotope analysis of plant remains recovered from archaeological sites is becoming more routine. There remains a lack of consensus, however, on how to appropriately select archaeological plant remains for isotopic analysis, how to account for differences in preservation and the effect of potential contamination, and how to interpret the measured isotope values in terms of the conditions in which the plants grew. In this paper, we outline the main issues to be considered when planning and conducting an isotopic study of archaeobotanical remains. These include: 1) setting out the research question(s) to be addressed in such a study, 2) considering the archaeological context from which plant remains derive, 3) determining appropriate... (More)

Stable isotope analysis of plant remains recovered from archaeological sites is becoming more routine. There remains a lack of consensus, however, on how to appropriately select archaeological plant remains for isotopic analysis, how to account for differences in preservation and the effect of potential contamination, and how to interpret the measured isotope values in terms of the conditions in which the plants grew. In this paper, we outline the main issues to be considered when planning and conducting an isotopic study of archaeobotanical remains. These include: 1) setting out the research question(s) to be addressed in such a study, 2) considering the archaeological context from which plant remains derive, 3) determining appropriate sample size given the inherent variability in isotope values of plants growing in the same cultivation plots, 4) establishing the conditions in which plant remains have been preserved and potential effects on their isotope values, and 5) accounting for possible contamination during deposition. With these issues in mind, we propose some recommendations for researchers to follow when planning and conducting an isotopic study of archaeobotanical remains. (Less)