Dr. Sillen will chair a two week conference which will bring together approximately 20 experts in physical anthropology and allied fields to discuss the application of chemical techniques to the reconstruction of prehistoric human diet. In particular the group will focus on the analysis of human skeletal remains. Past research has shown that different foodstuffs vary in their isotopic composition of carbon and nitrogen as well as such trace minerals as strontium. These differences are often reflected in the bone composition of their consumers and through analysis of skeletal remains it is possible to gain some insight into diet. However the suite of techniques used to accomplish this are still under development and this conference will examine specific problems and suggest ways around them. In particular the participants will focus on variation in the foods themselves, methods of analysis, the problem of diagenesis (change in bone composition over time) and the analysis of specific archaeological sites. The research is important because it will increase our understanding of our own past and help to establish a baseline against which modern human diets can be measured.
