Comments on Richards et al., Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 2008 “Strontium isotope evidence of Neanderthal mobility at the site of Lakonis, Greece using laser-ablation PIMMS”

Nowell, G.M.; Horstwood, M.S.A.

NORA

Comments on Richards et al., Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 2008 “Strontium isotope evidence of Neanderthal mobility at the site of Lakonis, Greece using laser-ablation PIMMS”

Nowell, G.M.; Horstwood, M.S.A.. 2009 Comments on Richards et al., Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 2008 “Strontium isotope evidence of Neanderthal mobility at the site of Lakonis, Greece using laser-ablation PIMMS”. Journal of Archaeological Science, 36 (7). 1334-1341. 10.1016/j.jas.2009.01.019

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Abstract

We present an evaluation of the laser ablation Sr isotope data reported by Richards et al. (2008) for a Neanderthal tooth recovered from a site in Greece. Based on an alternative and analytically more robust method of correcting for isobaric interferences present during the analysis the tooth appears to be isotopically homogenous and within uncertainty of the value for modern seawater. If this is the case then contrary to the migration model proposed by Richards et al. (2008) the Neanderthal individual may have actually been a coastal dweller and lived within the vicinity of the find site.

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