Robert Tykot

Use of elemental analysis to identify metal alloys, ceramic types and clay sources, obsidian sources and ancient trade. Also elemental analysis of soils (for phosphates, contaminants), bones (for studying diet). Most research done are applications to archaeological materials and museum collections; talks can focus on particular materials, and particular geographic areas/time periods (e.g. obsidian trade in the Mediterranean; pottery production and trade in the Southeast US; Ancient Greek and Italian metal working).

Stable isotope analysis of human bones, teeth, hair, and fingernails tell us about people's diets, and is widely applied to archaeology to understand ancient people's lifeways, but also to modern cases too. This talk would describe the methods used and several case studies including: Origins and importance of maize in the Americas prior to European contact; Mediterranean Diets and Minimal Importance of Seafood; Native American Diet in Florida