RESIDENTIAL-MOBILITY IN THE PREHISTORIC SOUTHWEST UNITED-STATES - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY USING STRONTIUM ISOTOPE ANALYSIS

Strontium isotope ratios and strontium concentrations in bone and tooth enamel are used to investigate patterns of residential mobility and migration in the late prehistoric (14th century) period in the mountain province of east-central Arizona. This area is of interest because of significant questions concerning the movement of people into and within the region and because of the number of late prehistoric sites with well-studied burial populations. Grasshopper Pueblo is the main focus of analysis, with additional information from the site of Walnut Creek. A pilot strontium isotope study of bone and tooth enamel of first molars from the Grasshopper and Walnut Creek regions has demonstrated intriguing variability in strontium isotope compositions of human samples and indicates a significant probability of the success of the investigations proposed here. This initial work indicates that there are measurable and meaningful differences between bones and tooth enamel from the same individuals, among individuals from the same site, and between communities in the study area. © 1994 Academic Press Limited.