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1.	Álvarez-Fernández, Noemi, et al. (author) Approaching mercury distribution in burial environment using PLS-R modelling 2021 In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 11:1 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Mercury environmental cycle and toxicology have been widely researched. Given the long history of mercury pollution, researching mercury trends in the past can help to understand its behaviour in the present. Archaeological skeletons have been found to be useful sources of information regarding mercury loads in the past. In our study we applied a soil multi-sampling approach in two burials dated to the 5th to 6th centuries AD. PLRS modelling was used to elucidate the factors controlling mercury distribution. The model explains 72% of mercury variance and suggests that mercury accumulation in the burial soils is the result of complex interactions. The decomposition of the bodies not only was the primary source of mercury to the soil but also responsible for the pedogenetic transformation of the sediments and the formation of soil components with the ability to retain mercury. The amount of soft tissues and bone mass also resulted in differences between burials, indicating that the skeletons were a primary/secondary source of mercury to the soil (i.e. temporary sink). Within burial variability seems to depend on the proximity of the soil to the thoracic area, where the main mercury target organs were located. We also conclude that, in coarse textured soils, as the ones studied in this investigation, the finer fraction (i.e. silt + clay) should be analysed, as it is the most reactive and the one with the higher potential to provide information on metal cycling and incipient soil processes. Finally, our study stresses the need to characterise the burial soil environment in order to fully understand the role of the interactions between soil and skeleton in mercury cycling in burial contexts.
2.	García-López, Zaira, et al. (author) Understanding Necrosol pedogenetical processes in post-Roman burials developed on dunes sands 2022 In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 12 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract In Archaeology much emphasis is dedicated to bone preservation, but less attention is paid to the burial soil (i.e., Necrosol), despite its crucial role in governing the geochemical environment. The interaction between human remains and sediments starts after inhumation, leading to bidirectional physico-chemical changes. To approach these complex, bidirectional processes, we sampled at high resolution (n = 46) two post-Roman wooden coffin burials (one single and another double), and the coeval paleosol (n = 20; nearby pedo-sedimentary sequence). The samples were analysed for physical (grain size, colour) and chemical (pH; LOI; elemental composition: FTIR-ATR, XRF, C, N) properties. Principal component analysis enabled to identify five main pedogenetical processes: decalcification, melanization, acidification, neoformation of secondary minerals (i.e., clays) and enrichment in phosphorus. Melanization, acidification and phosphorous enrichment seem to be convergent processes in Necrosols—irrespective of the parent material. Decalcification may be restricted to carbonate containing soil/sediments. Despite not mentioned in previous research, clay formation might also be an overall process. Compared to the local, coeval paleosol, pedogenesis in the studied burial soils was low (double burial) to moderate (single burial). Our results also emphasize the need to study the finer soil fractions, as they provide clues both on soil formation and bone diagenesis.
3.	Mighall, Tim M., et al. (author) Climate Change, Fire and Human Activity Drive Vegetation Change during the Last Eight Millennia in the Xistral Mountains of NW Iberia 2023 In: Quaternary. - : MDPI AG. - 2571-550X. ; 6:1 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract An 8500-year record of high-resolution pollen, non-pollen palynomorph, microscopic charcoal and selected geochemical data (Ti, Zr and Pb) is presented from an ombrotrophic mire from the Xistral Mountains, Galicia, North-West Iberia. The results suggest that vegetation changes over the last eight millennia are primarily the result of human disturbance, fire and climate change. Climate and fire were the main factors influencing vegetation development during the early to mid-Holocene, including a short-lived decline in forest cover c. 8.2 cal. ka BP. Changes associated with the 4.2 and 2.8 cal. Ka BP events are less well defined. Human impact on vegetation became more pronounced by the late Holocene with major periods of forest disturbance from c. 3.1 cal. ka BP onwards: during the end of Metal Ages, Roman period and culminating in the permanent decline of deciduous forests in the post-Roman period, as agriculture and metallurgy intensified, leading to the creation of a cultural landscape. Climate change appears to become less influential as human activity dominates during the Late Holocene.
4.	Sarkic, Natasa, et al. (author) Eating in silence : isotopic approaches to nuns' diet at the convent of Santa Catalina de Siena (Belmonte, Spain) from the sixteenth to the twentieth century 2019 In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1866-9557 .- 1866-9565. ; 11:8, s. 3895-3911 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Advances in geochemical and physical anthropological studies have provided new tools to reconstruct ancient lifestyles, especially of those minorities not commonly mentioned in historical texts. In comparison to males, little is known about everyday life in female monastic communities, and how it has changed over time. In this paper, we present a paleodietary (delta C-13 and delta N-15 in bone collagen) study of human (n = 58) and animal (n = 13) remains recovered from the former Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena in Belmonte (Cuenca, central Spain). Two funerary areas used by Dominican nuns were sampled: one dated to the sixteenth (n = 34) and the seventeenth (n = 15) centuries, and the other dated in the nineteenth and twentieth (n = 9) centuries. The isotopic values for sheep (n = 7) suggest the animals consumed at the convent came from diverse ecosystems or were raised under a range of management strategies. The human samples reflect a terrestrial diet, and those from the nineteenth to twentieth century, in some cases, reveal the presence of C-4 plants (millet, corn or sugar cane). Due to their religious practice, the consumption of terrestrial animal protein was restricted, and although they were allowed to eat fish, the isotopic signatures show little evidence of this. The individuals from the sixteenth and seventeenth century show a continuous shift in delta N-15 (9.7-12.7 parts per thousand), with few significant differences in relation to the period, age, or pathologies (osteoporosis, periostitis, and brucellosis). The nineteenth- to twentieth-century samples can be divided into two groups: (a) one that fits the trend of previous centuries, albeit with a higher delta N-15, possibly related to extensive access to animal protein; and (b) a second group with elevated delta C-13 values (up to - 15.7 parts per thousand). Different customs in the assumed homogeneous monastic life are discussed as possible sources of isotopic variation, including access to luxury products such as animal protein or sugar, or the practice of periods of food abstinence, which were especially popular with these communities, according to historical records.
5.	Álvarez-Fernández, Noemi, et al. (author) Atmospheric mercury pollution deciphered through archaeological bones 2020 In: Journal of Archaeological Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0305-4403 .- 1095-9238. ; 119 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Mercury is a major environmental pollutant extensively used by humans, whose pollution dates back at least to c. 3250 BCE (South Iberian Peninsula). As it happens today, past populations were mostly affected by low dose chronic mercury exposure, with levels that varied with the intensity of some anthropogenic activities (mining and metallurgy in particular). Despite its toxic nature, mercury impact in humans themselves has been hardly addressed by Archaeology. The aim of this research is to increase our knowledge on mercury levels in past populations by 1) analysing human (cortical) bone from skeletons recovered in a necropolis from NW Iberia covering contrasting periods of atmospheric pollution: Roman, AD 1st to 4th centuries, and post-Roman, AD 5th to 7th centuries; 2) considering bone type variability; 3) contextualizing our findings with previous works. Samples from 3 types of bone (n = 143) as well as soils/sediments associated to the burials (n = 34) were analysed. Mercury concentrations in soil were below 5 ng g(-1), while the average in bone was 36 +/- 52 ng g(-1), making post-depositional incorporation unlikely. We found significant differences between the two periods (Romans: 54 +/- 60 ng g(-1), post-Romans: 21 +/- 23 ng g(-1)), but no effect of type of bone, sex, age, social status or diet of the individuals. Our results agree with the chronology of mercury pollution reconstructed from a local peatland, which suggests a predominant atmospheric source. This fact contrasts with previous research in which high mercury concentrations were mainly related to post-mortem burial customs and pre-mortem medical treatment and poisoning. Thus, mercury distribution in past communities was possibly more complex than previously thought, with different pre- and post-mortem sources interacting. Furthermore, our research also supports the use of archaeological bone as environmental archive of metal pollution, when metal cultural exposure is low.
6.	Álvarez-Fernández, Noemi, et al. (author) Structural equation modelling of mercury intra-skeletal variability on archaeological human remains 2022 In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 851, part 1 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Archaeological burial environments are useful archives to investigate the long-term trends and the behaviour of mercury. In order to understand the relationship between mercury, skeletons and soil, we applied Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to a detailed, multisampling (n = 73 bone samples +37 soil samples) design of two archaeological graves dating to the 6th to 7th centuries CE (A Lanzada site, NW Spain). Mercury content was assessed using a DMA-80, and data about bone structure and the grave soil/sediments were obtained using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The theoretical model is supported by proxies of bone structure, grave soil/sediments, and location of the bone within the skeleton. The general model explained 61 % of mercury variance. Additionally, Partial Least Square – Prediction Oriented Segmentation (PLS-POS) was also used to check for segmentation in the dataset. POS revealed two group of samples depending on the bone phase (hydroxyapatite or collagen) controlling the Hg content, and the corresponding models explained 86 % and 76 % of Hg variance, respectively. The results suggest that mercury behaviour in the graves is complex, and that mercury concentrations were influenced by i) the ante-mortem status of the bone matrix, related to the weight of each bone phase; ii) post-mortem evolution of bone crystallinity, where bone loses mercury with increasing alteration; and iii) the proximity of the skeletal pieces to mercury target organs, as decomposition and collapse of the thoracic and abdominal soft tissues causes a secondary mercury enrichment in bones from the body trunk during early post-mortem. Skeletons provide a source of mercury to the soil whereas soil/sediments contribute little to skeletal mercury content.
7.	Fjellström, Markus, et al. (author) Food, Mobility, and Health in a 17th and 18th Century Arctic Mining Population in Silbojokk, Swedish Sapmi 2021 In: Arctic. - : The Arctic Institute of North America. - 0004-0843 .- 1923-1245. ; 74:2, s. 113-238 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Established in 1635, the silver mine of Nasafjall and the smeltery site in Silbojokk in Swedish Sapmi were used during several phases until the late 19th century. Excavations in Silbojokk, c. 40 km from Nasafjall, have revealed buildings such as a smeltery, living houses, a bakery, and a church with a churchyard. From the beginning, both local and non-local individuals worked at the mine and the smeltery. Non-locals were recruited to work in the mine and at the smeltery, and the local Semi population was recruited to transport the silver down to the Swedish coast. Females, males, and children of different ages were represented among the individuals buried at the churchyard in Silbojokk, which was used between c. 1635 and 1770. Here we study diet, mobility, and exposure to lead (Pb) in the smeltery workers, the miners, and the local population. By employing isotopic analysis, delta C-13, delta N-15, delta S-34, Sr-87/Sr-86 and elemental analysis, we demonstrate that individuals in Silbojokk had a homogenous diet, except for two individuals. In addition, both local and non-local individuals were all exposed to Pb, which in some cases could have been harmful to their health.
8.	Fjellström, Markus, 1987-, et al. (author) Food, mobility and health in an Arctic 17th-18th century mining population In: Arctic. - 0004-0843 .- 1923-1245. Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The silver mine of Nasafjäll and the smeltery site in Silbojokk in Swedish Sápmi were established in 1635 and was used during several phases until the late 19th century. Excavations in Silbojokk, c. 40 km from Nasafjäll have revealed buildings, such as a smeltery, living houses, a bakery, a church with a churchyard. Already at the start, both local and non-local individuals worked at the mine and the smel-tery. Non-locals were recruited to work in the mine and at the smel-tery, and the local Sámi population was recruited to transport the sil-ver down to the Swedish coast. Females, males and children of differ-ent ages were represented among the individuals buried at the church-yard in Silbojokk, used between c. 1635 and 1770. Here we study diet, mobility and exposure to lead in the smeltery workers, the miners and the local population. By employing isotopic analysis, δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, 87/86Sr and elemental composition, we have demonstrated that individ-uals in Silbojokk had a homogenous diet, except for two individuals. In addition, there were local and non-local individuals, and all of them were exposed to lead, that in some cases could have caused death. The environment at Nasafjäll and Silbojokk is still highly toxic.
9.	García-Moreno, Carlos D., et al. (author) A Stable Isotope Approach to Roman Diet and Its Legacy in Late Antiquity in Hispania and the Western Empire 2022 In: Environmental Archaeology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1461-4103 .- 1749-6314. Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Whether a Roman diet existed is a constant issue in Classical archaeology, as it is also its persistence in late Antiquity. Here, we review the isotopic composition (δ13Ccol and δ15Ncol ) of 15 (n = 384) necropolis dating to the 1st to 8th centuries AD from Hispania. We worked with human and animal raw data and calculated the human enrichment regarding herbivoreś average. Although diet was not homogeneous, intra-site variability was greater than inter-site variability. The results show a diet characterised by consumption of C3 plants with some intake of meat/eggs/dairy products from terrestrial herbivores fed on C3 plants, with no clear differences between periods. NW Hispanic sites show an exceptional consumption of C4 plants (millet) and marine resources. There is a slight correlation between δ15N and distance from the sea, but marine resource consumption seems to have been mostly absent or low. Most sites studied were rural or located at the coast and this may result in some bias in the interpretation. Therefore, more effort in analysing inland urban sites is needed. The comparison with sites from France, Britain and Italy indicates a slightly higher dependence on millets in Hispania, which can be traced back to the Iron Age. The data suggest the existence of a certain homogeneity in diet that persisted in later centuries while displaying specificities and local adaptations.
10.	García-Moreno, Carlos D., et al. (author) La necrópolis de la ampliación del Museo Nacional de Arte Romano (Mérida, Badajoz) : estudio antropológico y contexto funerario [The necropolis of “la ampliación del Museo Nacional de Arte Romano” (Mérida, Badajoz): anthropological study and funerary context] 2023 In: SAGVNTVM. Papeles del Laboratorio de Arqueología de Valencia. - 0210-3729 .- 2174-517X. ; 55, s. 215-234 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract We present the study of the skeletons found on the site of La ampliacion del Museo Nacional de Arte Romano (Merida, Badajoz). We address palaeodemography (by estimating sex and age), chronology (by means of C-14 dating in bone) and taphonomy, with special attention to preservation, comparing it with the funerary context. The total number of individuals identified is at least 118. The high number of non-adults (n=41) suggests a high infant mortality rate, coinciding with other nearby contemporary necropolises. The remains are relatively well preserved, with no differential distribution by sex/age. The predominant orientation is SW-NE and a single supine grave. Thirteen burials contained nails, either due to the presence of a wooden box or small boxes as grave goods. Radiocarbon dating of two tombs provided a Low-Imperial-Tard-Ancient chronology (3(rd)-6(th) centuries AD). Similarities can be observed between all the funerary areas of Augusta Emerita, showing a possible pattern of funerary context.
11.	Inskip, Sarah, et al. (author) Diet and food strategies in a southern al-Andalusian urban environment during Caliphal period, ecija, Sevilla 2019 In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1866-9557 .- 1866-9565. ; 11:8, s. 3857-3874 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The Iberian medieval period is unique in European history due to the widespread socio-cultural changes that took place after the arrival of Arabs, Berbers and Islam in 711 AD. Recently, isotopic research has been insightful on dietary shifts, status, resource availability and the impact of environment. However, there is no published isotopic research exploring these factors in southern Iberian populations, and as the history of this area differs to the northern regions, this leaves a significant lacuna in our knowledge. This research fills this gap via isotopic analysis of human (n = 66) and faunal (n = 13) samples from the 9th to the 13th century ecija, a town renowned for high temperatures and salinity. Stable carbon (delta C-13) and nitrogen (delta N-15) isotopes were assessed from rib collagen, while carbon (delta C-13) values were derived from enamel apatite. Human diet is consistent with C-3 plant consumption with a very minor contribution of C-4 plants, an interesting feature considering the suitability of ecija to C-4 cereal production. delta N-15 values vary among adults, which may suggest variable animal protein consumption or isotopic variation within animal species due to differences in foddering. Consideration of delta C-13 collagen and apatite values together may indicate sugarcane consumption, while moderate delta N-15 values do not suggest a strong aridity or salinity effect. Comparison with other Iberian groups shows similarities relating to time and location rather than by religion, although more multi-isotopic studies combined with zooarchaeology and botany may reveal subtle differences unobservable in carbon and nitrogen collagen studies alone.
12.	Jones, Samantha E., et al. (author) Lake and crannog : A 2500-year palaeoenvironmental record of continuity and change in NE Scotland 2022 In: Quaternary Science Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 0277-3791 .- 1873-457X. ; 285 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Wetland environments have been important resources for human habitation since prehistoric times and in parts of northern Europe these have witnessed the construction of artificial islet settlements, known as ‘crannogs’ in Scotland and Ireland. This paper presents a high-resolution multi-proxy palaeoenvironmental study from the Loch of Leys, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the site of a recently excavated crannog that provides a chronological context for its inhabitation. The combined datasets demonstrate that the first occupation from AD 20–210 coincided not only with a transitional phase from lake to wetland (mire) but also with the timing of the first major Roman campaigns in northeast Scotland. Techniques including microfossil analysis, geochemistry, IR-spectroscopy and physical properties integrated with archaeological and historical records have helped to better define both natural changes that took place in the wetland environment and human activity (agriculture, fires, metal working) spanning the Roman Iron Age through to the present. This has allowed a better understanding of the responses of existing Iron Age communities to Roman military activity (e.g. through continuity or change in land use) as well as the resources exploited in frontier zones during the Roman and post Roman eras. This has wider significance not just for Scotland but also for other parts of Europe that had similar frontiers and conflict zones during the Roman period.
13.	Kaal, Joeri, et al. (author) Diagenetic effects on pyrolysis fingerprints of extracted collagen in archaeological human bones from NW Spain, as determined by pyrolysis-GC-MS 2016 In: Journal of Archaeological Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0305-4403 .- 1095-9238. ; 65, s. 1-10 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Ancient collagen is used as archive for multiple pre-mortem traits. Testing the quality of the collagen extract is a common concern of those who engage in the reconstruction of ancient diets. The aim of this study is to improve our understanding of the pyrolysis fingerprints of human bone collagen especially in relation with diagenetic alteration. Pyrolysis-GC-MS was applied to 28 collagen samples extracted from archaeological human bone, corresponding to different chronological periods (Bronze Age to post Medieval period; 1900 BC-1800 AD) and different types of burial environment (acidic and alkaline) from NW Spain. Collagen was extracted following the common methodology used in paleodiet analysis, and a commercial gelatin sample was included for comparison. Data evaluation was based on 58 pyrolysis products using Principal Components Analysis (PCA). Principal component 1 (PC1, 45% of total variance) was related to the relative abundances of pyrolysis products of specific amino acids, with relatively degraded samples having larger proportions of the pyrolysis products of Pro/Hyp, Phe and Ala, while more intact samples showed larger proportions of Tyr, Trp and pyrolysis products of unspecific amino acid origin. PC1 scores were related to the period to which the samples corresponded, which reflects differences in diagenetic impact, probably controlled by a combination of age and burial deposit characteristics. PC2 (15%) probably reflects the well-known effects of disruption of the amino acid sequence (depolymerization), causing a decline in dimerization products (diketopiperazines) upon pyrolysis. This process was more intense in the collagen samples from acidic deposits than in the samples from alkaline deposits (a calcareous cave and coastal sand deposits with biogenic carbonates). The relationships between the PCA and individual pyrolysis products with known parameters of collagen quality (% C, % N, C/N ratio, % extractable collagen) were generally insignificant or weak. This might be explained by the rather narrow C/N range (3.19-3.36) of the samples, which had to meet the criteria for suitability for paleodiet analysis. Moreover, there was no significant relation between the isotopic composition of the extracted collagen (613C, 815N) and pyrolyzate composition, suggesting that diagenesis has little effect on the isotopic fingerprints used in palaeodietary studies. Finally, no substantial contamination of microbial or exogenous tissue from the deposition environment to the osteological collagen extracts was identified. It is concluded that the delta C-13 and delta N-15 as proxies of palaeodiet from these diverse necropoleis in NW Spain is sustained.
14.	Kaal, Joeri, et al. (author) Reconstruction of 7500 years of coastal environmental change impacting seagrass ecosystem dynamics in Oyster Harbour (SW Australia) 2020 In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0031-0182 .- 1872-616X. ; 558 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Seagrass ecosystems, which have important functions such as coastal protection and blue carbon sequestration, are threatened by anthropogenic pressure including climate change. Long-term data series from seagrass sedimentary archives (mats) can be used to understand natural cycles of environmental change and answer key questions related to contemporary management. A 7500 yr sediment record from Posidonia australis meadows in Oyster Harbour (Albany, SW Australia) was subjected to multiproxy reconstruction by means of pigment analysis (UHPLC), analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC-MS), carbonate content, delta C-13 and delta N-15 stable isotope ratios, organic C (C-org) content, C-org/N ratio and glomalin-related soil proteins (GASP). The study revealed a brackish lagoon (7500-7000 cal yr BP) that was transformed in an open marine environment (7000-4100 cal yr BP) due to Holocene transgression. Earliest evidence of seagrass establishment was detected around 4500 cal yr BP, and meadow extension accelerated between 4100 and 3700 cal yr BP. The meadow environment was surprisingly resistant against environmental perturbations, as the mat, composed of P. australis seagrass fibres embedded within a siliciclastic mineral matrix containing biogenic carbonates, continued to develop steadily until 190 cal yr BP (1830 CE). Then, shifts in several proxies (pigments, GASP) showed evidence of terrestrial runofftriggered eutrophication/turbidity (likely driven by forest clearance and agricultural activities after European settlement), but the seagrass showed resilience (no decline of the proportion of seagrass-derived C-org). By contrast, since similar to 1930 CE seagrass retreat is evident in the biogeochemical record: lighter delta C-13 values, lower lignin abundance and shifts in pigment abundance and types, affecting the balance between seagrass inputs and alternative sources, as was observed in previous studies of the area. The findings show that pigment proxies are useful early indicators of shifts in seagrass ecosystem condition, while lignocellulose and other pyrolysis products are useful proxies of more profound ecosystem alterations that influence seagrass abundance. The record indicates that the climax seagrass ecosystem condition, which prevailed for several millennia, had been impacted over the last century. Management of seagrass and coastal ecosystems should aim to avoid crossing ecological thresholds and diminish local impacts aggravating those of global change.
15.	Kirkinen, Tuija, et al. (author) Preservation of microscopic fur, feather, and bast fibers in the Mesolithic ochre grave of Majoonsuo, Eastern Finland 2022 In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 17:9 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The study of animal and plant fibers related to grave furnishing, garments, and grave goods in thousands-of-year-old burials provides new insights into these funerary practices. Their preservation presupposes favorable conditions, where bacterial and fungal activity is at a minimum, as in anaerobic, wet, salty, arid, or frozen environments. The extreme acidic-soil environments (i.e., podzols) of Finland pose a challenge when it comes to studying funerary deposits, as human remains are rarely found. However, its potential to preserve microparticles allows us to approach the funerary event from a totally different point of view. Here, we present the first multiproxy analyses of a Mesolithic deposit from Finland. A red-ochre burial of a child found in Majoonsuo is studied by analyzing 1) microscopic fibers, 2) fatty acids, and 3) physical-chemical (CIELab color, pH, grain size) properties of 60 soil samples and associated materials. The microscopic fibers evidenced the remains of waterfowl downy feathers, a falcon feather fragment, canid and small rodent hairs as well as bast fibers. These could have been used in furnishing the grave and as ornaments or clothes. Canid hairs could belong to a dog inhumation, or more likely to canid fur used as grave good/clothes. Samples with microparticles have more long-chain and unsaturated fatty acids, although animal species identification was not possible. Soil properties indicate that the burial was made in the local soil, adding homogeneous red ochre and removing the coarser material; no bioturbation was found. The highly acidic sandy soil, together with a slight increase in finer particles when ochre is abundant, probably resulted in micro-scale, anoxic conditions that prevented bacterial attack. This study reveals the first animal hairs and feathers from a Finnish Mesolithic funerary context, and provides clues about how their preservation was possible.
16.	López-Costas, Olalla, et al. (author) Biological histories of an elite : Skeletons from the Royal Chapel of Lugo Cathedral (NW Spain) 2021 In: International journal of osteoarchaeology. - : Wiley. - 1047-482X .- 1099-1212. ; 31:5, s. 941-956 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract This study aims to reconstruct the biological histories of the people buried at the Royal Chapel of Lugo Cathedral, an important religious center of NW Spain, by using anthropological, geochemical, and historical perspectives. We conducted a macroscopic and radiographic study on 955 skeletal elements, a multi-isotope (delta C-13(col), delta N-15, delta S-34(col), delta C-13(ap), delta O-18(ap)) analysis of human (n = 12) and animal (n = 4) samples, and the study of 1407 documents from the cathedral archives. There was a minimum of 15 individuals, including six subadults (<7 years), seven mature males, and one possible female. Several traumatic healed injuries, a pelvis osteochondroma, and a case of DISH have been detected. Males were enriched in N-15 (up to 15.7 parts per thousand, Delta(human-animal avg) = 5.1 parts per thousand) suggesting consumption of animal protein including freshwater fish. Cathedral documents reflect fora payments in the form of rye, eggs, poultry, sheep, pigs, and eels as well as the hiring of two physicians. All individuals, except one, lived between the 14(th) and the early 15(th) centuries and show characteristics of high standard of living. Males were likely members of the cathedral-chaplains, administrators, sacristans, but not bishops-or noblemen relatives of the former according to preserved documents. Isotopic and paleopathological study suggest that they had an active and traveling life and at least one of them had connections with Central Spain. Children were local and possibly connected to the nobility. Lugo Cathedral is a prime example about the possibilities of transdisciplinary research in the identification of lifestyle in past populations.
17.	López-Costas, Olalla, et al. (author) Boom and bust at a medieval fishing port : dietary preferences of fishers and artisan families from Pontevedra (Galicia, NW Spain) during the Late Medieval and Early Modern Period 2019 In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1866-9557 .- 1866-9565. ; 11:8, s. 3717-3731 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Here, we present an investigation of dietary habits in a town whose history is strongly connected to a single food product: fish. Pontevedra (Galicia, Spain) controlled a big part of fish commerce in the Iberian Peninsula during the Late Medieval period, only losing its position with the beginning of modern era. Burials from the churches of Santa Maria (thirteenth to seventeenth centuries AD), the necropolis of fishers, and San Bartolome (thirteenth to fifteenth centuries AD), with a parish mostly made up of craftspeople, were studied to address questions of diet and subsistence practices. A total of 89 samples, including 63 humans, 18 terrestrial and 8 marine animals, were analysed for isotopic composition of bone collagen (delta C-13 and delta N-15). The results show that domestic herbivores were fed a fodder almost exclusively based on C-3 plants, while dogs and a cat consumed significant quantities of fish. Humans ate a similar, mixed terrestrial/marine diet, but probably also with an important contribution from C-4 plants, most likely millet, or, from c. AD 1600 onwards, maize. Fishermen and their families buried at Santa Maria could have had preferential access to exported target sea products enriched in N-15 (salted sardine, conger eel, hake and octopus), while other marine products may have been more common on the rest of the town's tables. The decline in fishing activity in the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries appears to have been accompanied by a diversification of diet. The dietary habits of the middle-class urban inhabitants of Pontevedra are closely connected to its economic history and environmental changes.
18.	López-Costas, Olalla, et al. (author) Chemical compositional changes in archaeological human bones due to diagenesis : Type of bone vs soil environment 2016 In: Journal of Archaeological Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0305-4403 .- 1095-9238. ; 67, s. 43-51 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Diagenesis in human remains is a subject of growing interest due to the increase in bone chemical studies to reconstruct pre- and post-mortem features in archaeological and forensic sciences. The efforts made during the last decades have solidified our understanding of diagenetic processes; however, their high complexity demands more research to address them empirically, specifically considering factors such as types of soil substratum and skeletal element. In this work, a geochemical study of human remains from the archaeological site of A Lanzada (NW Spain) is performed to understand diagenesis (i.e. chemical alteration) and life environmental exposure. Three types of bone (thoracic, long and cranial) from 30 skeletons of two periods (9 Roman, 21 post-Roman) were analysed by X-ray fluorescence. Bones were recovered from burials located in slightly alkaline (Haplic Arenosol (calcaric)) and acidic (Cambic Umbrisol (humic)) soils. Principal components analysis was applied to extract the main chemical signatures, and analysis of variance to determine the influence of different factors. Bone composition was characterized by four chemical signals related to: i) alteration of bone bioapatite; ii) metal sorption from the soil solution; iii) presence of fine (silt-clay) soil particles; and iv) lead incorporation. Thoracic bones were found to be more sensitive to diagenesis and the burial environment; long bones and crania presented a similar response. Skeletons buried in the acidic soil were significantly poorly preserved. Lead content was higher in bones of the Roman period, which seems to be related to pre-mortem conditions. Previous investigations on palaeopollution in NW Spain enable us to hypothesize that Roman individuals may have been subjected to a high exposure of Pb due to elevated atmospheric metal contamination.
19.	López-Costas, Olalla, et al. (author) Fringes of the empire : Diet and cultural change at the Roman to post-Roman transition in NW Iberia 2016 In: American Journal of Physical Anthropology. - : Wiley. - 0002-9483 .- 1096-8644. ; 161:1, s. 141-154 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract A growing number of paleodiet investigations over recent years have begun to reveal the stark dietary differences that existed between regions of the Roman Empire, as well as significant changes in subsistence strategies after its fall. The present study explores the dietary changes at the Roman to post-Roman (Germanic) transition in the Northwest Iberian Peninsula, in order to improve our understanding of the changes that occurred at end of the Roman Empire in different regions across Europe and to also consider the influence of climate had on them. The carbon and nitrogen stable isotope investigation in bone collagen from A Lanzada, NW Spain (100-700 AD), which was an important commercial, coastal settlement has been presented. A human sample of 59 individuals, 6 of them subadults, is compared with 31 faunal specimens, which include a number of marine fish. Isotope data for the terrestrial fauna reveal the influence of the sea on the local isotope baseline. Analysis of the human samples indicates a mixed marine-terrestrial diet. A shift in mean human C-13 values from -16.7 parts per thousand to -14.3 parts per thousand provides clear evidence for a significant change in diet in the post-Roman period, probably through the intensification of both marine resources exploitation and C-4-plant consumption (presumably millet). A deterioration of paleoenvironmental conditions, together with a poor socioeconomic situation and the arrival of new people, the Sueves, who brought a new political and socioeconomic system have been discussed as the main causes for the dietary modification in post-Roman times.
20.	Lopez-Costas, Olalla, et al. (author) Human bones tell the story of atmospheric mercury and lead exposure at the edge of Roman World 2020 In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 710 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Atmospheric metal pollution is a major health concern whose roots pre-date industrialization. This study pertains the analyses of ancient human skeletons and compares them with natural archives to trace historical environmental exposure at the edge of the Roman Empire in NW Iberia The novelty of our approach relies on the combination of mercury, lead and lead isotopes. We found over a 700-year period that rural Romans incorporated two times more mercury and lead into their bones than post-Romans inhabiting the same site, independent of sex or age. Atmospheric pollution sources contributed on average 57% (peaking at 85%) of the total lead incorporated into the bones in Roman times, which decreased to 24% after the decline of Rome. These values and accompanying changes in lead isotopic composition mirror changes in atmospheric Pb deposition recorded in local peatlands. Thus, skeletons are a time-transgressive archive reflecting contaminant exposure.
21.	López-Costas, Olalla (author) Lifestyle during Priscillianism : Bioarchaeological Approaches 2021 In: Gerión. Revista de Historia Antigua. - : Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). - 0213-0181 .- 1988-3080. ; 39:2, s. 775-800 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract By analyzing bioarchaeological proxies -from evidence provided by peat records, plant and animal remains, to human skeletons- I aim to reconstruct the main features sketching lifestyle during Priscillianism (AD 4th to 6th centuries) as compared to the previous period by reviewing published literature. A sudden climate deterioration, increase in soil erosion, forest decline and a possible modification in diet, which became more dependent on marine resources and millets, are the main observed findings. Based on this information, I try to understand if some of these characteristics responded to, directly or indirectly, the new religious way of life in Nonwestem Iberia, or at least to understand better the everyday life of these societies.
22.	Mangas-Carrasco, Elvira, et al. (author) Porotic hyperostosis, cribra orbitalia, femoralis and humeralis in Medieval NW Spain 2021 In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1866-9557 .- 1866-9565. ; 13:10 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis are amongst of the most commonly palaeopathological features recorded in archaeological individuals and are useful to test the general health status in ancient human population, particularly in non-adults (infants, children and adolescents). Despite of the relatively large amount of debate papers about this topic, their aetiology is still under debate and their recording is not standardised. In contrast, postcranial cribrae (femoralis and humeralis) are infrequently addressed. This paper aims to analyse cranial and postcranial porotic lesions, and their relationship with living conditions and dietary patterns, in all available Medieval collections from NW Spain (Pontevedra necropoleis, Adro Vello and Capela do Pilar). Presence/absence, severity, healing grade and co-occurrence of lesions were recorded, and a new photographic scale to determine the severity and healing degrees in postcranial cribrae is advocated as well. Cribra orbitalia (78%) and cribra femoralis (70%) are the most frequent lesions, with porotic hyperostosis (42%) and cribra humeralis less common (38%). Adults display higher grades of severity in cribra orbitalia than non-adults. A healing age pattern was documented in all lesions. No obvious trend/pattern with δ13C and δ15N—used as proxies for diet—was observed. High rates of porotic lesions in NW Spain have been attributed to interactions between several phenomena, as a multifactorial response to a possible dietary influence from high consumption of marine resources and/or infection by fish parasites. Our results highlight the importance of registering postcranial porotic lesions and healing degrees along with diet. In addition, photographic scales are useful to guide and standardise the recording process.
23.	Mangas-Carrasco, Elvira, et al. (author) The late medieval/early modern necropolis of Adro Vello (O Grove, Pontevedra, Spain) from sondage 1.2017 : an osteoarchaeological approach to funerary practices and childhood 2022 In: Journal of Medieval Iberian Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1754-6559 .- 1754-6567. ; 14:3, s. 468-500 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract The study of non-adult individuals and the concept of childhood are essential for deepening our knowledge of past communities. Adro Vello (O Grove, Pontevedra) is considered one of the most representative and iconic necropolises of medieval Galicia. However, research on the human skeletal remains has so far been scarce and has not previously focused on what osteoarchaeological analyses can reveal about lifestyle. Here we study the human skeletal remains recovered in a 2017 archaeological campaign. The results show a Minimum Number of Individuals (MNI) of fourteen – seven articulated individuals, and MNI of seven among disarticulated skeletal remains – eight of whom are non-adults (including six individuals ≤ one year). The analysis in this article revolves around the management of cemetery space, the relationship of burials with earlier and later structures, and, especially, the high presence of individuals under the age of one year in a Christian cemetery, where burial of the unbaptised would not be allowed. This demonstrates the importance of archaeological and bioarchaeological study in detecting ex norma practices and in the characterisation of childhood.
24.	Martínez Cortizas, Antonio, et al. (author) 9000 years of changes in peat organic matter composition in Store Mosse (Sweden) traced using FTIR-ATR 2021 In: Boreas. - : Wiley. - 0300-9483 .- 1502-3885. ; 50:4, s. 1161-1178 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Store Mosse (the ‘Great Bog’ in Swedish) is one of the most extensive bog complexes in southern Sweden (~77 km2), where pioneering palaeoenvironmental research has been carried out since the early 20th century. This includes, for example, vegetation changes, carbon and nitrogen dynamics, peat decomposition, atmospheric metal pollution, mineral dust deposition, dendrochronology, and tephrochronology. Even though organic matter (OM) represents the bulk of the peat mass and its compositional change has the potential to provide crucial ecological information on bog responses to environmental factors, peat OM molecular composition has not been addressed in detail. Here, a 568-cm-deep peat sequence was studied at high resolution, by attenuated reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) in the mid-infrared region (4000–400 cm–1). Principal components analysis was performed on selected absorbances and change-point modelling was applied to the records to determine the timing of changes. Four components accounted for peat composition: (i) depletion/accumulation of labile (i.e. carbohydrates) and recalcitrant (i.e. lignin and other aromatics, aliphatics, organic acids and some N compounds) compounds, due to peat decomposition; (ii) variations in N compounds and carbohydrates; (iii) residual variation of lignin and organic acids; and (iv) residual variation of aliphatic structures. Peat decomposition showed two main patterns: a long-term trend highly correlated to peat age (r = 0.87), and a short-term trend, which showed five main phases of increased decomposition (at ~8.4–8.1, ~7.0–5.6, ~3.5–3.1, ~2.7–2.1 and ~1.6–1.3 ka) – mostly corresponding to drier climate and its effect on bog hydrology. The high peat accumulation event (~5.6–3.9 ka), described in earlier studies, is characterized by the lowest degree of peat decomposition of the whole record. Given that FTIR-ATR is a quick, non-destructive, cost-effective technique, our results indicate that it can be applied in a systematic way (including multicore studies) to peat research and provide relevant information on the evolution of peatlands.
25.	Martínez Cortizas, Antonio, et al. (author) Holocene atmospheric dust deposition in NW Spain 2020 In: The Holocene. - : SAGE Publications. - 0959-6836 .- 1477-0911. ; 30:4, s. 507-518 Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract Atmospheric dust plays an important role in terrestrial and marine ecosystems, particularly those that are nutrient limited. Despite that most dust originates from arid and semi-arid regions, recent research has shown that past dust events may have been involved in boosting productivity in nutrient-poor peatlands. We investigated dust deposition in a mid-latitude, raised bog, which is surrounded by a complex geology (paragneiss/schist, granite, quartzite and granodiorite). As proxies for dust fluxes, we used accumulation rates of trace (Ti, Zr, Rb, Sr and Y) as well as major (K and Ca) lithogenic elements. The oldest, largest dust deposition event occurred between similar to 8.6 and similar to 7.4 ka BP, peaking at similar to 8.1 ka BP (most probably the 8.2 ka BP event). The event had a large impact on the evolution of the mire, which subsequently transitioned from a fen into a raised bog in similar to 1500 years. From similar to 6.7 to similar to 4.0 ka BP, fluxes were very low, coeval with mid-Holocene forest stability and maximum extent. In the late Holocene, after similar to 4.0 ka BP, dust events became more prevalent with relatively major deposition at similar to 3.2-2.5, similar to 1.4 ka BP and similar to 0.35-0.05 ka BP, and minor peaks at similar to 4.0-3.7, similar to 1.7, similar to 1.10-0.95 ka BP and similar to 0.74-0.58 ka BP. Strontium fluxes display a similar pattern between similar to 11 and similar to 6.7 ka BP but then became decoupled from the other elements from the mid Holocene onwards. This seems to be a specific signal of the granodiorite batholith, which has an Sr anomaly. The reconstructed variations in dust fluxes bear a strong climatic imprint, probably related to storminess controlled by North Atlantic Oscillation conditions. Complex interactions also arise because of increased pressure from human activities.

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