Environmental metal pollution revealed in archaeological human remains

Introduction

Environmental metal pollution threatens us all. While discussions of further prevention continue, the historical dimension is rarely considered. The long history of metal contamination has been well traced in natural archives (e.g. lake sediments and peat). However, there is a need for long-term studies directly on human remains to fully understand how metal pollution affected the life of our ancestors.

Project Overview

PollutedPast will fill this gap by linking new research on skeletal remains from archaeological sites with research done using natural archives. The overall objective is to determine the severity of metal pollution in preindustrial populations.

Prerequisites

This will be achieved by meeting four prerequisites:

1. Availability of high chronological resolution studies in natural archives
2. Periods of contrasting pollution levels
3. Areas with contrasting pollution histories
4. Availability of well-suited and studied osteological collections

The investigations will concentrate on collections from NW and SE Spain, and SE Sweden, selecting individuals from Roman to Late Medieval times. Individuals at risk (babies, those with chronic infectious diseases) will also be targeted.

Methodological Approach

The methodological approach is based on a revolutionary combination of techniques. Multielemental (>30) and high-resolution (every 200m) analyses of bones, bioapatite, and teeth will provide critical insights into metals incorporation.

Metals of Interest

Lead, copper, and mercury, metals from different sources and biogeochemical cycles, will be researched in depth and compared with well-reconstructed pollution histories in natural archives from the selected areas. Lead isotopes will be used, aided by mixing models, to trace the sources and estimate the proportion of pollution-lead in skeletons.

Expected Outcomes

This project will generate ground-breaking knowledge about the long-term impact of metal contamination by mining and metallurgy, and explore how differences in resource management may have had consequences regarding human societies.