Introduction

Evaluation of dietary components and the general health of early peoples has been advanced through the use of analyses of skeletal materials for major, minor, and trace elements. Early work, during the 1970s, optimistically focused on developing new analytical techniques and baseline data. Three basic approaches to trace element studies involved the analysis of single elements (such as lead or iron), multiple elements, and ratios of elements (such as strontium and calcium). Potentially, use of these approaches, combined with other site information and statistical evaluation, holds promise for understanding of diet and health at the most basic level. However, as research in this area progressed, it became apparent that what had initially seemed a simple matter of gathering data and interpreting it, was beset by diverse problems. The first and most complex problem to arise was the observation that buried and unburied archaeological remains undergo chemical changes over time, known as diagenesis. These changes are related to the environment surrounding the bones, and are dependent on many factors, such as soil composition, water movement and composition, climate changes, and others. The modern researcher hoping to draw accurate conclusions from the data obtained from sophisticated elemental analysis techniques must be fully aware of these factors. In order to avoid inaccurate data interpretations, a number of interpretive tools have been used. The use of multiple methods of analysis for the same set of samples, coupled with statistical methods and cautious interpretations, can yield useful data. The data collected from archaeological remains are often put into context by comparing it with data gained from living modern peoples. Used together, this information can shed light on archaeological diet, lifestyles, and health, and, in some cases, expand our knowledge of modern health.