Arsenic accumulation on the bones in the Early Bronze Age İkiztepe population, Turkey

Kameray Özdemir, Yılmaz Selim Erdal & Şahinde Demirci Journal of Archaeological Science 37.5 (May 2010): 1033-1041.

Περίληψη (στα Αγγλικά)

In this study, arsenic, copper and lead content of a group of human and animal bones recovered from the Early Bronze Age İkiztepe site have been analyzed using ICP-MS method. Average arsenic value of 90 femur bones of a human was found to be 15.0 ± 5.79 ppm which was varied among age and sex groups, and among species. Origin of arsenic accumulation in bones was diagenetic because overall the groups were highly variable. The distribution of metallic items among the burials had a big affect on the arsenic uptake of the bones. Copper and lead values supported the diagenetic arsenic accumulation in the bones as well. Their values on the bones were not as high as those for the individuals involved in metal working activities in the ancient world. Judging from these data, it is concluded that İkiztepe people did not produce the manufactured metallic items using arsenical copper but might have been imported from the other sites.