İznik Roma antik tiyatrosu kazılarından elde edilmiş insan kemikleri üzerine arkeometrik çalışmalar

In this study, major, minor, and trace elements were analysed in 21 bones belonging to 19 individuals with different sex, age, and location excavated from the Roman Theatre in İznik. Additionally, five soil samples taken from different parts of the site were analysed with applied chemical and physical analysis using archaeometric methods to determine and investigate the implication of toxic elements (Pb, As, Cd, etc.), and their accumulation in bone hydroxyapatite due to diagenic and/or biogenic basis. The elemental composition of the İznik bones were determined using both XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectrometry) and ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) methods, simultaneously. One of the soil samples and four of the bone samples were analyzed by Ultra Trace Aqua Regia ICP-MS to obtain a control group. Before the elemental analysis, the organic phase of the bone matrix was removed and the analysis was based solely on bone hydroxyapatite. Cortical bones (femora) and trabecular bones (costa) were examined separately. The elemental analysis focused on the matrix elements of Ca and P, diagenetic related elements Mn, Fe, K, Pb, Al, U, Zr, and Y, and dietary elements Zn, Ba, Mg and Sr. To define uncontaminated bone matrix, the Ca/P mass ratio in the crystal structure of bone hydroxyapatite was calculated. To obtain diagenetic implication in the surrounding soil of the burial, electrical conductivity, hydrogen-ion activity, and soil type analysis were performed. Furthermore, diagenetic alteration of bone apatite was physically tested, due to the changes of porosity and recrystallization, by using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy and porosity measurements. The results were evaluated with principal component analysis (PCA). In the correlation matrix, the diagenetic effects of different elements on the bone samples was determined statistically. Keywords: Diagenesis, Trace Elements, Femora, Hydroxyapatite, Dietary, Costa, X-Ray.