Unlocking Teeth Development and application of isotopic methods for human provenance studies Esther Plomp Cover: The open access logo (front) decorated with the schematic image of a human molar. Unlocking teeth Development and application of isotopic methods for human provenance studies © 2020 Esther Plomp ORCID: 0000-0003-3625-1357 Thesis Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3929551 Printed by: GVO drukkers & vormgevers B.V. The printing of this thesis was financially supported by the Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center, Amsterdam Center for Forensic Science and Medicine, and the Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The analyses of this research were carried out at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cluster Geology and Geochemistry, and were funded by the European Research Council under the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC grant agreement n° 319209. The writing of this thesis has been supported by the Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences. VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT Unlocking teeth Development and application of isotopic methods for human provenance studies ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, op gezag van de rector magnificus prof.dr. V. Subramaniam, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie van de Faculteit der Bètawetenschappen op donderdag 3 september 2020 om 11.45 uur in de aula van de universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105 door Esther Plomp-Peterson geboren te Utrecht promotor: prof.dr. G.R. Davies copromotoren: dr. I.C.C. von Holstein dr. L.M. Kootker dr. J.M. Koornneef Contents Chapter 1 Scope and Aim 6 Chapter 2 Introduction to isotopic analyses 17 Chapter 3 Human tissues used for isotopic analyses 34 Chapter 4 TIMS analysis of neodymium isotopes in human tooth enamel using 1013 Ω amplifiers 58 Chapter 5 Evaluation of neodymium isotope analysis of human dental enamel as a provenance indicator using 1013 Ω amplifiers (TIMS) 78 Chapter 6 Strontium, oxygen and carbon isotope variation in modern human dental enamel eneral discussion 100 Chapter 7 Strontium isotopes in modern human dental enamel and tap water from the Netherlands: implications for forensic provenancing 132 Chapter 8 Discussion and Conclusion 152 Summary 162 References 165 Acknowledgements/Dankwoord 212 Nederlandse Samenvatting 218 Chapter 1 Scope and Aim Scope and Aim 1.1 Scope of project This research was conducted as part of the international research project NEXUS1492 (ERC- Synergy) which studied the impacts of the colonial encounters in the Caribbean. NEXUS1492 1 aimed to characterise the interactions between Amerindians, Europeans and Africans across the Caribbean, after 1492 following the first interactions between the Old and New World. By incorporating techniques from multiple disciplines, across three universities (Leiden University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Konstanz), NEXUS 1492 aimed to evaluate current theoretical frameworks in order to investigate this period in history. The team consisted of scholars from the fields of archaeology, anthropology, bioarchaeology, genetics, physical geography, computer sciences, bio- and geochemistry, and heritage studies. Perhaps more so than in other regions, the Caribbean archaeological record is under threat from natural disasters such as climate change and rising sea levels, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes. Moreover, the archaeological record needs to be protected from looters who illegally trade ancient artefacts as well as from construction development. To prevent further destruction of the archaeological record, the Caribbean’s past needs to be put on the heritage agenda in order to increase awareness of the rich Caribbean heritage. Sustainable heritage management strategies were set up by NEXUS1492 in cooperation with local Caribbean experts to create a future for the Caribbean past. The NEXUS1492 project is divided into four projects: (1) Transformations of Indigenous Caribbean Cultures and societies across the historical divide (Leiden University, Principal Investigator: Corinne L. Hofman) Project 1 aimed to examine the transformations of indigenous societies in the Caribbean from the pre-colonial to colonial era (AD 1000-1800), through examination of the archaeological record (Antczak et al. 2018; Hofman et al. 2018; Hofman & Antczak 2019; Hofman & Hoogland 2016, 2018; Hofman & Keehnen 2019; Valcárcel Rojas 2016; Valcárcel Rojas, Laffoon et al. 2019; Valcárcel Rojas, Pérez Iglesias et al. 2019; Weston & Valcárcel Rojas 2016). The impacts of the arrival of the Europeans on Caribbean populations were poorly studied as it was believed that the Amerindians rapidly declined after the first encounters. This simplistic vision was addressed by analysing the burial practises of the indigenous population (Mickleburgh et al. 2019), exchange relationships between Amerindians and Europeans (Hofman et al. 2014; Laffoon et al. 2014), and the Amerindian material culture and changing native landscapes (Castilla-Beltrán et al. 2018; Hooghiemstra et al. 2018; Malatesta & Hofman 2019; Sonnemann et al. 2016; Stancioff et al. 2018). 7 Chapter 1 By analysing the human skeletal remains and the indigenous burial practices information could be obtained on health and disease patterns, biological and social identities, diet, and 1 physical activity during the contact period (Ciofalo et al. 2019; Mann et al. 2018; Mickleburgh 2015; Mickleburgh et al. 2019; Mickleburgh & Wescott 2018; Schroeder et al. 2015, 2018; Ziesemer et al. 2015, 2019). Through the analysis of material culture of the Amerindians, such as ceramics, the impact of European and African contact on Amerindian identity could be studied (Antczak et al. 2015; Antczak & Antczak 2015; Degryse et al. 2018; Ernst & Hofman 2015; Falci et al. 2019; Schertl et al. 2019; Ting et al. 2016, 2018). The process of colonisation transformed the native landscapes, which resulted in forced depopulation, dispersal and reformation of Amerindian communities, and the imposition of land use and labour regimes. To study these processes, NEXUS1492 examined Amerindian settlement organisation and patterns, land use and landscape transformations and documented present-day landscape transformations which destroy sites. (2) Human mobility and the circulation of materials and objects (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Principal investigator: Gareth R. Davies) The research carried out in project 2 focused on the development and application of biogeochemical methods to address human mobility patterns and the circulation of materials and objects across the historical divide. The development of biochemical methods focused on the extraction of strontium, neodymium and lead isotopes in small samples (Koornneef et al. 2014) and aimed to test whether provenance information from bone material, usually affected by diagenetic effects, could be obtained (seeSection 3.1) (Laffoon, Sonnemann et al. 2018). Human mobility and diet was studied using a multi-isotope approach employing carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and strontium isotope analysis (Bataille et al. 2018; Hrnčíř & Laffoon 2019; Laffoon 2016; Laffoon et al. 2016, 2017; Laffoon, Espersen et al. 2018; Mickleburgh & Laffoon 2018; Pestle & Laffoon 2018) (see Chapters 6 and 7). This isotopic repertoire was extended by assessing the application of neodymium isotopes in human dental enamel (Plomp et al. 2017; Plomp, von Holstein et al. 2019) (Chapters 4 and 5). Human isotopic variation in dental enamel was assessed for established isotopic techniques (oxygen, carbon, and strontium: Chapter 6). Pottery, lithic and metal artefacts of both Amerindian and European origin were analysed to study their provenance with the aim to investigate if the utilisation of source areas and materials changed through time. A portable laser sampling system was developed to permit the analysis of rare artefacts in museums that were previously not considered to be suitable for sampling. The optimisation of sampling methods and the decrease of sample sizes opened up new opportunities to study the past. 8 Scope and Aim (3) Reconstructing archaeological networks and their transformations across the historical divide (University of Konstanz, Principal Investigator: Ulrik Brandes) Project 3 aimed to reconstruct the transformations of archaeological networks of objects, 1 peoples and ideas across the Caribbean in the period AD 1000-1800. This network approach allowed the modelling of relations between past cultures, communities and individuals (Amati, Lomi et al. 2018; Amati, Munson et al. 2019; Amati, Schönenberger et al. 2019; Brandes 2016; Frank & Shafie 2016; Hart et al. 2016; Mol et al. 2015; Shafie 2016). New graphical methods were developed to make these relationships more visible (Amati et al. 2015; Brughmans et al. 2018; Lhuillier et al. 2019; Mumtaz et al. 2019; van Garderen et al. 2017; Weidele et al. 2016). The archaeological record is difficult to reconstruct using models as it consists of fragmentary data (Amati, Mol et al. 2019; Amati, Shafie et al. 2018; Habiba et al. 2018). The Amerindian regional networks in which peoples, goods and ideas were circulated were altered by the interactions with the Europeans and Africans. The project aimed to document how these networks adapted and integrated new networks, using material culture as a proxy. This material culture was related to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services which were exchanged across the