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Heritage Science

Table 1 Isotope systems which have been used in archaeology and cultural heritage

From: Isotopes in cultural heritage: present and future possibilities

Element

Dating

Provenance

Diet for humans

Migration among humans

Other

H

  

X

  

B

 

X

   

C

XX (C-14)

 

XX

  

N

  

X

  

O

 

(X)

X

(X)

Paleothermometry

Mg

  

(X)

  

Si

 

(X)

   

S

 

(X)

X

 

Ore prospecting, pollution

Cl

(X)

    

Ar

X

    

Ca

  

(X)

  

Fe

 

(X)

   

Cu

 

(X)

   

Zn

 

(X)

   

Sr

 

XX

 

X

 

Ag

 

(X)

   

Sn

 

(X)

   

Nd

 

X

   

Hg

 

(X)

   

Pb

 

XX

   

Th

X

    

U

X

    
  1. The most commonly used systems are marked XX, those often used X, and those recently tested or used (X)
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