Papers by Nicole Burt
Blurring Timescapes, Subverting Erasure
We examined multiple natural abundance isotope ratios of human hair to assess biological variabil... more We examined multiple natural abundance isotope ratios of human hair to assess biological variability within and between geographic locations and, further, to determine how well these isotope values predict location of origin. Sampling locations feature differing seasonality and mobile populations as a robust test of the method. Serially-sampled hair from Cambridge, MA, USA, shows lower δ2H and δ18O variability over a one-year time course than model-predicted precipitation isotope ratios, but exhibits considerable differences between individuals. Along a ∼13° north-south transect in the eastern USA (Brookline, MA, 42.3 ° N, College Park, MD, 39.0 ° N, and Gainesville, FL, 29.7 ° N) δ18O in human hair shows relatively greater differences and tracks changes in drinking water isotope ratios more sensitively than δ2H. Determining the domicile of humans using isotope ratios of hair can be confounded by differing variability in hair δ18O and δ2H between locations, differential incorporation of H and O into this protein and, in some cases, by tap water δ18O and δ2H that differ significantly from predicted precipitation values. With these caveats, randomly chosen people in Florida are separated from those in the two more northerly sites on the basis of the natural abundance isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Diet from the late medieval Fishergate House cemetery site (York, UK) is reconstructed using nitr... more Diet from the late medieval Fishergate House cemetery site (York, UK) is reconstructed using nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratio analysis from tooth dentin. Deciduous teeth from 42 subadult individuals (fetal to 5–6 years) were used to reconstruct weaning practices at a population and an individual level. This is the first archaeological use of this microsampling method (dentin ≥.3 mg). This method allows an individual's changing diet to be reconstructed from the fetal period through weaning. The fetal signals show a complicated relationship with adult female ratios, having higher δ15N values than expected. At this site, there is an unusual decoupling between peak mortality (4–6 years) and weaning (2 years). The mean δ15N ratios for weaned children were enriched when compared to the adult females (12.4‰ ± 1.29 and 11.4‰ ± 1.1; statistically significant to p < .05). Early childhood diet is surprisingly high in marine fish and/or pork given the low socioeconomic class of the sample. This is a departure in weaned diet from contemporary communities and may be responsible for the unusual disconnect between peak mortality and weaning. When the individual dietary reconstructions were combined with each individual's rib reconstruction the presence of a true child specific diet was clear starting at approximately 2 years of age. Some individuals diverge from the population norm and have an extended breastfeeding period linked to poor health. The increased resolution of microsampling allows bioarchaeologists to test detailed time depended questions about early childhood diet and health.
Archives of Oral Biology, 2014
Objectives
Reconstruct childhood diet using teeth collected in Edmonton in a collaborative eff... more Objectives
Reconstruct childhood diet using teeth collected in Edmonton in a collaborative effort between the Departments of Dentistry and Anthropology at the University of Alberta.
Methods
Deciduous teeth needing extraction were collected from 33 children for stable isotope ratio analysis of diet. Tooth dentin was microsampled in three locations using a newly developed technique to reconstruct the changing pattern of participants’ diet through early childhood including breastfeeding practices.
Results
The microsampling method can reconstruct diet with tiny samples (0.3 mg). The results reconstruct fetal isotope ratios, which showed significant variation. δ15N values indicate some children were being breastfed (7/17), while others were likely bottle fed (10/17). Surprisingly, the early childhood results do not show the range of diets expected in adults based on known eating habits. Toddler diets form a tight cluster implying diets of similar isotopic composition in almost all of the households despite potential cultural and class distinctions (δ15N values 11‰ to 11.5‰, δ13C values around -18‰). The δ13C values show a strong C3 dependence for most children, a two outliers show C4 (-12‰) dependence indicating a possible corn based diet.
Conclusions
Microsampling can potentially track each child's diet through early childhood. For this group of children, both breastfeeding and bottle feeding was practiced. However, the percent of breastfed infants was less than reported Canadian rates. Surprisingly, the choice to breastfeed or to bottle feed was not linked to the choice of toddler diet. All toddler diets were narrower in scope than adult diets.
American journal of physical anthropology, 2013
Rib collagen of 51 juveniles and 11 adult females from the late medieval Fishergate House cemeter... more Rib collagen of 51 juveniles and 11 adult females from the late medieval Fishergate House cemetery site (York, UK) were analyzed using nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratio analysis to determine the weaning age for this population and to reconstruct diet. The juveniles' ages ranged from fetal to 5–6 years, while the females were of reproductive age. Previous researchers suggested that the children from Fishergate House might have been weaned later than the medieval British norm of 2 years, based on a mortality peak at 4–6 years of age. The results show weaning was complete by 2 years of age, agreeing with previous British weaning studies. The adult female δ15N values have a mean of 11.4‰ ± 1.1‰ and the δ13C values have a mean of −19.4‰ ± 0.4‰. These findings are consistent with previous isotopic studies of female diet in York during this period, though slightly lower. The weaned juvenile nitrogen values were found to be higher than the adult females (12.4‰ ± 1.0‰ for δ15N and −19.7‰ ± 0.5‰ for δ13C), which might indicate a dependence on higher trophic level proteins such as marine fish or pork. Marine fish is considered a high status food and children are considered low-status individuals at this time, making this a particularly interesting finding. Weaning does not appear to coincide with peak mortality, suggesting environment factors may be playing a larger role in child mortality at Fishergate House. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:407–416, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Journal of Archaeological Science
Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio analysis of dentine is a powerful tool for examining ear... more Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratio analysis of dentine is a powerful tool for examining early childhood diet in past populations. Serial sampling of the dentine can reconstruct an individual's changing diet. Previous serial studies have used homogenized samples that give broad results for age categories. This study presents a new dentine microsampling technique for use in stable isotope ratio analysis that provides stable isotope signals for three important juvenile life stages: fetal life, breastfeeding, and weaning.
A sample of 35 modern deciduous teeth was collected in collaboration with the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Alberta. One half of each tooth was examined histologically to locate the neonatal line, and the other half was sampled for isotopic analysis. Microsamples of dentine were collected occlusal to the neonatal line, directly apical to the neonatal line, and from the growing edge of the tooth; these should reflect the diet of the mother during pregnancy, followed by the infant's breastfeeding and weaning diets. The results of the isotopic assay show dietary changes in individual children over time that can be reasonably explained in terms of modern infant feeding practices in a diverse modern sample.
While the technique will be useful to many stable isotope researchers, it is particularly suited for studying the changing diet of a single individual. The results indicate that microsamples must be above 0.3 mg to give reliable simultaneous results for carbon and nitrogen, though accurate nitrogen results alone can be gained at much smaller weights. Further research will apply this methodology to archaeological remains.
"This paper tests the Demirjian and international Demirjian dental aging methods for forensic use... more "This paper tests the Demirjian and international Demirjian dental aging methods for forensic use when ancestry and ethnicity are
unknown. A radiographic sample of 187 boys and girls was collected from the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy and aged using both methods. The total sample and the sample by age categories (young, middle, and old) were analyzed using t-tests. The Demirjian method was found to better estimate age to a statistically significant degree for the total sample, as well as the middle and old age
categories. The young category was aged better using the international Demirjian method. The results indicate that while the Demirjian method accurately estimates age, caution must be used with the method. Further research is needed to determine whether the international Demirjian method
can be used for forensics in the U.S."
Books by Nicole Burt
Dissertations by Nicole Burt
The stable isotope signature of childhood diet changes from a fetal signal (similar to the mother... more The stable isotope signature of childhood diet changes from a fetal signal (similar to the mother), to a breastfeeding signal, and finally to a weaned signal, which may or many not match the adult diet. The patterning of these changes can give insight into child feeding practices and parenting. A stable isotope microsampling method was created to allow the analysis of these diets in a single individual. Tooth dentine was used as once formed it does not remodel, as does human bone. The method was developed and tested on a modern sample of 33 teeth collected from Edmonton, Alberta. The results showed changing early childhood diet with some individuals being breastfed, while others were bottle fed. Despite the large variety of weaning foods available to modern families, the weaned child diet was surprisingly uniform and did not reflect the variation seen in Canadian adults. Dentine analysis using the new microsampling technique, as well as rib stable isotope analysis, was used to reconstruct juvenile diet from the Fishergate House (14th – 16th century) York, UK. 62 juvenile samples and 11 adult female samples were collected. No previous dietary reconstructions of the children from this site have been run, so it was important to establish the time of weaning for the
population during this critical period of early childhood that often results in infant death. The high level of mortality for four to six year olds at Fishergate House led previous researchers to believe weaning was taking place at this time. In contrast, the results of this work showed that weaning was complete by two years. By
looking at individuals, it is possible to see variation in weaning practice that reflects the individual choices of mothers and children at Fishergate House. The dietary information for Fishergate House was also compared with growth and pathological data from the site to look more closely at health. The results of this study show that by looking at weaning at a population and individual level it is possible to look at the overall early childhood feeding pattern as well as at deviation from that pattern.
The Demirjian method (1973, 1976) is the most used method in Europe for determining subadult age.... more The Demirjian method (1973, 1976) is the most used method in Europe for determining subadult age. The main goal of this thesis was to determine if the Demirjian method (1973, 1976) could be used in an urban American population of multiple ancestries from Detroit, Michigan. The literature published on the Demirjian method indicates ancestry as a possible cause of significant difference between chronological age (CA) and dental age (DA). As a result of this, the international Demirjian method (Chaillet et al., 2006) was created for instances when ancestry was unknown. The international Demirjian method (Chaillet et al., 2006) was also examined in this study. A sample of panoramic dental radiographs from 98 males and 89 females between the ages of 6 and 12 was collected from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. Dental age was determined using the Demirjian method and the international Demirjian method at the 50th and 99th percentiles. Paired and independent t-Tests were used to determine if CA and DA were significantly different using all these methods for the total sample and the sample divided by age category. The results showed that the Demirjian method could be used in America and was most accurate in the middle (9 and 10 year olds) and old (11 and 12 year olds) age categories, but that the international Demirjian method 50th percentile was more appropriate for the young category (6, 7, and 8 year olds) at the .01 significance level.
Conference Presentations by Nicole Burt
In 373/372 BC an earthquake and tidal wave destroyed the classical city of Helike, founded in pre... more In 373/372 BC an earthquake and tidal wave destroyed the classical city of Helike, founded in prehistoric times on the southwest shore of the Gulf of Corinth. Since 2000, the Helike Project, under the direction of Dr. Dora Katsonopoulou, has been conducting systematic excavations to locate the ruins of the city and document the long occupation history of the surrounding region. To date, sites dating from the Early Helladic (Bronze Age) to the Byzantine period have been discovered. These include a number of burial plots dating to the late Classical through Byzantine eras. The skeleton discussed here was recovered from one of Helike’s Roman-era cemeteries and is likely that of a female aged 40 to 45 years at death. The fifth lumbar vertebra is partially sacralized on the right side and the sacrum shows a pronounced corresponding asymmetry. Sacralization of the fifth lumbar vertebra is common, and typically has minimal health effects. However, here the condition appears to have had a significant effect on quality of life. The fifth lumbar vertebra rests at an angle on the sacrum, and in situ photographs of the remains show an unusual curvature of the lower spine. These observations, along with severe arthritic degeneration of the spine, support a differential diagnosis of scoliosis. We discuss this diagnosis and review Roman-era writings on the treatment and perception of scoliosis that provide insights into the effects of the condition on this woman’s life experience.
The goal of this work was to reconstruct the breastfeeding and weaning pattern at Fishergate Hous... more The goal of this work was to reconstruct the breastfeeding and weaning pattern at Fishergate House York, UK. This work is the first reconstruction of juvenile diet at the site. The cemetery’s main period of use is between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. The Fishergate House individuals were members of the working poor and lived in an active urban environment. As York was a large trade center, a wide variety of foods would be available to the population regardless of socioeconomic status. The sample consists of 54 rib fragments from individuals aged from fetal to 5 - 6 years and 11 adult female rib fragments for comparison with the weaned individuals. Dietary reconstruction of the sample was done using stable isotope analysis (carbon and nitrogen) of collagen from rib fragments. The ribs were processed using standard stable isotope processing methods. The results show that weaning occurred around 2 years of age. The nitrogen values for the weaned children were unexpectedly high, higher than the adult females values. This enrichment was likely due to the consumption of more marine fish, which is considered a high status food in medieval Britain.
Weaning age (2 years) and peak mortality (4-6 years) are decoupled at Fishergate House. After inf... more Weaning age (2 years) and peak mortality (4-6 years) are decoupled at Fishergate House. After infancy, weaning is generally considered the most dangerous part of early childhood. At Fishergate House this may not be the cases. This poster examines the relationships of diet (stable isotope analysis), growth, and sinusitis at both a population and individual level as a proxy for health at the site. Weaned children had a diet rich in high trophic level proteins such as marine fish and pig (δ15N = 12.4‰). C3 grain diets are typical of contemporary children from rural areas and could indicate that the specific weaning foods used at Fishergate House are helping children survive past the initial weaning period. There is no indication that chronic illness or weaning food quality is causing the mortality peak at 4-6 years. Growth and non-specific indicators of stress were analyzed at the site to better understand this unusual pattern. The prevalence of sinusitis is quite high at Fishergate House, particularly when
compared to contemporary Wharram Percy (41% vs. 7.5%). This is particularly true during the 4-6 year period when children would be accompany their mothers to a factory work environment or would be left at home with an unknown level of supervision. Fishergate House was known to suffer from seasonal
flooding, which could pose a major threat to health in the community. Poor air quality and environmental conditions stemming from the urban environment are likely contributing the unique mortuary pattern at the site.
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Papers by Nicole Burt
Reconstruct childhood diet using teeth collected in Edmonton in a collaborative effort between the Departments of Dentistry and Anthropology at the University of Alberta.
Methods
Deciduous teeth needing extraction were collected from 33 children for stable isotope ratio analysis of diet. Tooth dentin was microsampled in three locations using a newly developed technique to reconstruct the changing pattern of participants’ diet through early childhood including breastfeeding practices.
Results
The microsampling method can reconstruct diet with tiny samples (0.3 mg). The results reconstruct fetal isotope ratios, which showed significant variation. δ15N values indicate some children were being breastfed (7/17), while others were likely bottle fed (10/17). Surprisingly, the early childhood results do not show the range of diets expected in adults based on known eating habits. Toddler diets form a tight cluster implying diets of similar isotopic composition in almost all of the households despite potential cultural and class distinctions (δ15N values 11‰ to 11.5‰, δ13C values around -18‰). The δ13C values show a strong C3 dependence for most children, a two outliers show C4 (-12‰) dependence indicating a possible corn based diet.
Conclusions
Microsampling can potentially track each child's diet through early childhood. For this group of children, both breastfeeding and bottle feeding was practiced. However, the percent of breastfed infants was less than reported Canadian rates. Surprisingly, the choice to breastfeed or to bottle feed was not linked to the choice of toddler diet. All toddler diets were narrower in scope than adult diets.
A sample of 35 modern deciduous teeth was collected in collaboration with the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Alberta. One half of each tooth was examined histologically to locate the neonatal line, and the other half was sampled for isotopic analysis. Microsamples of dentine were collected occlusal to the neonatal line, directly apical to the neonatal line, and from the growing edge of the tooth; these should reflect the diet of the mother during pregnancy, followed by the infant's breastfeeding and weaning diets. The results of the isotopic assay show dietary changes in individual children over time that can be reasonably explained in terms of modern infant feeding practices in a diverse modern sample.
While the technique will be useful to many stable isotope researchers, it is particularly suited for studying the changing diet of a single individual. The results indicate that microsamples must be above 0.3 mg to give reliable simultaneous results for carbon and nitrogen, though accurate nitrogen results alone can be gained at much smaller weights. Further research will apply this methodology to archaeological remains.
unknown. A radiographic sample of 187 boys and girls was collected from the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy and aged using both methods. The total sample and the sample by age categories (young, middle, and old) were analyzed using t-tests. The Demirjian method was found to better estimate age to a statistically significant degree for the total sample, as well as the middle and old age
categories. The young category was aged better using the international Demirjian method. The results indicate that while the Demirjian method accurately estimates age, caution must be used with the method. Further research is needed to determine whether the international Demirjian method
can be used for forensics in the U.S."
Books by Nicole Burt
Dissertations by Nicole Burt
population during this critical period of early childhood that often results in infant death. The high level of mortality for four to six year olds at Fishergate House led previous researchers to believe weaning was taking place at this time. In contrast, the results of this work showed that weaning was complete by two years. By
looking at individuals, it is possible to see variation in weaning practice that reflects the individual choices of mothers and children at Fishergate House. The dietary information for Fishergate House was also compared with growth and pathological data from the site to look more closely at health. The results of this study show that by looking at weaning at a population and individual level it is possible to look at the overall early childhood feeding pattern as well as at deviation from that pattern.
Conference Presentations by Nicole Burt
compared to contemporary Wharram Percy (41% vs. 7.5%). This is particularly true during the 4-6 year period when children would be accompany their mothers to a factory work environment or would be left at home with an unknown level of supervision. Fishergate House was known to suffer from seasonal
flooding, which could pose a major threat to health in the community. Poor air quality and environmental conditions stemming from the urban environment are likely contributing the unique mortuary pattern at the site.
Reconstruct childhood diet using teeth collected in Edmonton in a collaborative effort between the Departments of Dentistry and Anthropology at the University of Alberta.
Methods
Deciduous teeth needing extraction were collected from 33 children for stable isotope ratio analysis of diet. Tooth dentin was microsampled in three locations using a newly developed technique to reconstruct the changing pattern of participants’ diet through early childhood including breastfeeding practices.
Results
The microsampling method can reconstruct diet with tiny samples (0.3 mg). The results reconstruct fetal isotope ratios, which showed significant variation. δ15N values indicate some children were being breastfed (7/17), while others were likely bottle fed (10/17). Surprisingly, the early childhood results do not show the range of diets expected in adults based on known eating habits. Toddler diets form a tight cluster implying diets of similar isotopic composition in almost all of the households despite potential cultural and class distinctions (δ15N values 11‰ to 11.5‰, δ13C values around -18‰). The δ13C values show a strong C3 dependence for most children, a two outliers show C4 (-12‰) dependence indicating a possible corn based diet.
Conclusions
Microsampling can potentially track each child's diet through early childhood. For this group of children, both breastfeeding and bottle feeding was practiced. However, the percent of breastfed infants was less than reported Canadian rates. Surprisingly, the choice to breastfeed or to bottle feed was not linked to the choice of toddler diet. All toddler diets were narrower in scope than adult diets.
A sample of 35 modern deciduous teeth was collected in collaboration with the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Alberta. One half of each tooth was examined histologically to locate the neonatal line, and the other half was sampled for isotopic analysis. Microsamples of dentine were collected occlusal to the neonatal line, directly apical to the neonatal line, and from the growing edge of the tooth; these should reflect the diet of the mother during pregnancy, followed by the infant's breastfeeding and weaning diets. The results of the isotopic assay show dietary changes in individual children over time that can be reasonably explained in terms of modern infant feeding practices in a diverse modern sample.
While the technique will be useful to many stable isotope researchers, it is particularly suited for studying the changing diet of a single individual. The results indicate that microsamples must be above 0.3 mg to give reliable simultaneous results for carbon and nitrogen, though accurate nitrogen results alone can be gained at much smaller weights. Further research will apply this methodology to archaeological remains.
unknown. A radiographic sample of 187 boys and girls was collected from the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Detroit Mercy and aged using both methods. The total sample and the sample by age categories (young, middle, and old) were analyzed using t-tests. The Demirjian method was found to better estimate age to a statistically significant degree for the total sample, as well as the middle and old age
categories. The young category was aged better using the international Demirjian method. The results indicate that while the Demirjian method accurately estimates age, caution must be used with the method. Further research is needed to determine whether the international Demirjian method
can be used for forensics in the U.S."
population during this critical period of early childhood that often results in infant death. The high level of mortality for four to six year olds at Fishergate House led previous researchers to believe weaning was taking place at this time. In contrast, the results of this work showed that weaning was complete by two years. By
looking at individuals, it is possible to see variation in weaning practice that reflects the individual choices of mothers and children at Fishergate House. The dietary information for Fishergate House was also compared with growth and pathological data from the site to look more closely at health. The results of this study show that by looking at weaning at a population and individual level it is possible to look at the overall early childhood feeding pattern as well as at deviation from that pattern.
compared to contemporary Wharram Percy (41% vs. 7.5%). This is particularly true during the 4-6 year period when children would be accompany their mothers to a factory work environment or would be left at home with an unknown level of supervision. Fishergate House was known to suffer from seasonal
flooding, which could pose a major threat to health in the community. Poor air quality and environmental conditions stemming from the urban environment are likely contributing the unique mortuary pattern at the site.