Thesis abstract: Bones, Bones, Bones - What Secrets do They Keep? Examining the Feasibility of Using Trace Elements and Rare Earth Elements to Determine Geographical Differences of Archaeological Remains

School of Social Science, University of Queensland

The provenancing of unprovenanced human remains is an issue of increasing concern to anthropologists, archaeologists and indigenous communities. A range of techniques is currently employed to determine the origin of unprovenanced human remains. However, the techniques currently available are either too broad or too specific in the scale of data resolution. There is a need for a method that will help place the remains in a more specific geographical area than is already possible.

This pilot study examines the feasibility of using trace elements and rare earth elements to determine geographical difference of archaeological remains. Non-human bone material from two sites, Platypus Rockshelter in southeast Queensland and Grinding Groove Cave in Central Queensland are used as case studies. As this is a pilot study limited by the availability of resources, it does not produce a set of elements that are unique to the sites. However, this study demonstrates that it is feasible to seperate archaeological remains from sitesd in different geographical areas with the use of trace elements and rare earth elements.