Detection of diagenetic alteration in bones and teeth for migration and dietary studies — a combined FTIR and C-N–O-Sr isotope study on tenth century CE cemeteries in northern and northeastern Hungary

Abstract

AbstractStable isotope-based dietary information on the tenth century CE Hungarian population serves as a valuable comparative tool to other dietary stable isotope studies in the region. This study presents a multiproxy approach involving skeletal samples with the least diagenetic alteration and the best-preserved primary signals. Dental and bone samples collected from three cemeteries in northeastern Hungary were investigated using a combination of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), stable isotope geochemistry, and strontium isotope analysis. FTIR measurements were used to detect the addition of secondary carbonate to the skeletal apatite carbonate component and to differentiate diagenetically altered samples. Our results suggest that all but the bone apatite carbonate stable isotope values and 87Sr/86Sr ratios are trustworthy and may be used to interpret the diet and migration of the researched individuals. We also determined that the inhabitants of the three tenth century CE Hungarian settlements relied primarily on C3 plants, but that C4 plants, most likely broomcorn millet (P. miliaceum), comprised a moderate portion of their plant-based diet and that animal products were generally consumed in moderate-high amounts. Coupled analyses of carbonate oxygen and strontium isotope compositions revealed that most of the bone apatite carbonate was heavily altered, whereas enamel apatite carbonate samples largely preserved their primary compositions. The bones showing the least amount of diagenetic alteration may partially preserve their primary apatite carbonate compositions, as well as show a combination of primary and secondary signals, which should be taken into consideration when bone apatite carbonate data are interpreted.