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Öz

The aim of the present study was to investigate and determine concentrations of some heavy metals in the cattle metacarpal bones, found from Azmashka settlement hill. They belonged to four periods: Early Neolith (EN), Early Halkolith (EH), Late Halkolith (LH) and Early Bronze (EB). The natural bone material was obtained from the archaeological site Azmashka village mound, found 6 km east of Stara Zagora (Bulgaria) and also from the territory of Hrishteni village, following radiocarbonic analysis. In the sampling an atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used. The samples have been burned dry and dissolved in acid until solution with optimal element concentration. Higher concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), chrome (Cr) and magnesium (Mg) were observed. The quantity of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Pb were with higher values at Early Halkolith, compared to the same in the other periods. The highest heavy metals’ concentrations were found, as following: iron, cooper, manganese, lead – at Early Halkolith and zink, chrome and magnesium – at Late Halkolith. The lowest heavy metals’ concentrations were found, as following: iron, manganese, chrome, magnesium – at Early Neolith and cooper, zink and lead– at Early Bronze. Differences in the other elements’ concentrations from the studied periods weren’t significant. Qualitative differences influenced by the heavy metals in the bone structure weren’t found. The content of heavy metals in the studied metacarpal bone material is considerably high compare to the normal values, mentioned by some researchers studied other species. The trend of concentration increasing is from Early Neolith to Early Bronze. This is due to the metacarpal bone contamination with soil, as which has been polluted from many years by the industrial manufacture of the nitrogen fertilizer.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Heavy metal, bones, osteoarchaeology

Some Heavy Metals' Concentrations in the Metacarpal Bones of Paleontological Cattle from Azmashka Settlement Hill

Öz

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to investigate and determine concentrations of some heavy metals in the cattle metacarpal bones, found from Azmashka settlement hill. They belonged to four periods: Early Neolith (EN), Early Halkolith (EH), Late Halkolith (LH) and Early Bronze (EB). The natural bone material was obtained from the archaeological site Azmashka village mound, found 6 km east of Stara Zagora (Bulgaria) and also from the territory of Hrishteni village, following radiocarbonic analysis. In the sampling an atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used. The samples have been burned dry and dissolved in acid until solution with optimal element concentration. Higher concentrations of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), chrome (Cr) and magnesium (Mg) were observed. The quantity of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Pb were with higher values at Early Halkolith, compared to the same in the other periods. The highest heavy metals' concentrations were found, as following: iron, cooper, manganese, lead – at Early Halkolith and zink, chrome and magnesium – at Late Halkolith. The lowest heavy metals' concentrations were found, as following: iron, manganese, chrome, magnesium – at Early Neolith and cooper, zink and lead– at Early Bronze. Differences in the other elements' concentrations from the studied periods weren't significant. Qualitative differences influenced by the heavy metals in the bone structure weren't found. The content of heavy metals in the studied metacarpal bone material is considerably high compare to the normal values, mentioned by some researchers studied other species. The trend of concentration increasing is from Early Neolith to Early Bronze. This is due to the metacarpal bone contamination with soil, as which has been polluted from many years by the industrial manufacture of the nitrogen fertilizer.

Key Words: Heavy metal, bones, osteoarchaeology

ÖZET

 

AZMASHKA YERLEŞİM HÖYÜĞÜNDEKİ PALEONTOLOJİK SIĞIRLARIN METAKARPAL KEMİKLERİNDE BAZI AĞIR METALLERİN KONSANTRASYONLARI

Bu çalışmanın amacı Azmashka yerleşim tepesinde bulunan sığır metacarpal kemiklerindeki bazı ağır metal konsantrasyonlarının tespitinin araştırılmasıdır. Kemikler dört döneme aitti: Erken Neolitik (EN), Erken Kalkolitik (EH), Geç Kalkolitik (LH) ve Erken Tunç (EB). Doğal kemik materyali Stara Zagora'nın 6 km doğusunda bulunan Azmaska köyü höyüğündeki arkeolojikal alandan ve ayrıca Hrishteni köyü bölgesinden temin edildi ve aşağıdaki radyokarbon analizleri yapıldı. Örneklemede atomik absorbsiyon spektrofotometresi kullanıldı. Örnekler solüsyonda uygun element konsantrasyonuna ulaşıncaya kadar kuru ve çözünmüş asit içerisinde yakıldı. Yüksek konsantrasyonda demir (Fe), bakır (Cu), çinko (Zn), manganez (Mn), kurşun (Pb), Krom (Cr) ve magnezyum (Mg) tespit edildi. Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn ve Pb değerlerinin erken kalkolitik dönemde, diğer dönemler ile karşılaştırıldığında yüksek düzeyde olduğu bulundu. En yüksek ağır metal konsantrasyonları şu şekilde bulundu: demir, bakır, manganez ve kurşun- Erken Kalkolitik ve çinko, krom ve magnezyum- geç kalkolitik dönem. En düşük ağır metal konsantrasyonları şu şekilde bulundu: demir, manganez, krom, magnezyum-erken Neolitik ve bakır, çinko ile kurşun-Erken Tunç. Çalışma kapsamındaki dönemlerde diğer elementlere ait konsantrasyonların farklılıkları önemli bulunmamıştır. Kemik yapısında ağır metallerin etki ettiği kalitatif farklılıklar bulunmamıştır. Bu çalışmadaki kemik materyalinde ağır metal düzeyi, bazı araştırmacıların çalıştığı diğer türlerdeki normal değerlerin üzerindedir. Konsantrasyonların yükselme eğilimi erken Neolitik'ten Erken Tunç dönemine doğrudur. Uzun yıllardır endüstriyal azotlu gübre sanayii üretimi ile kirlenmeden dolayı metakarpal kemikler, kum ile kontamine olmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Ağır metal, kemikler, osteoarkeoloji

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ağır metal, kemikler, osteoarkeoloji

Kaynakça

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