This study reports new trace element and Pb and Sr isotope compositions of tooth enamel from archaeological remains at a Medieval (Christian) cemetery located adjacent to the Kushite royal cemetery of El-Kurru, Sudan. The archaeological site of El-Kurru is located along the Nile River on the southern edge of the Nubian Plateau; the bedrock geology consists of Neoproterozoic crystalline basement and is overlain by fluvial sandstones and mudstones of Cretaceous age. El-Kurru is situated between two well-developed drainage basins, and in the past has been subjected to periodic (wadi-related) flooding as a result of intense local precipitation events. Enamel samples were taken from 18 individuals of varying ages and both sexes. Trace element abundances for a significant number of samples record elevated concentrations relative to modern (“in-vivo”) enamel, including Pb and U; however, the abundances for both elements do not correlate significantly with the contents of the remaining trace elements (Ba, Fe, Mg, Mn, Nd, Sr) investigated here. The calculated enrichment factors for all trace elements studied here relative to average crustal values are not consistent with exposure to Pb ores for human purposes, which is corroborated by the Pb isotope results. The Sr isotope compositions define 2 main groups that yield ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios that are either higher or lower than 0.7072 with similar Sr abundances (range between ~100 and ~400 ppm). The Pb isotope compositions are extremely variable and correlate well with their corresponding U/Pb ratios; the former overlap Pb isotope ratios for proximal Neoproterozoic rocks belonging to the Saharan Metacraton and Arabian Nubian Shield tectonic provinces. The combined trace element abundances and Sr and Pb isotope compositions for the enamel samples located within the Christian cemetery at El-Kurru are best interpreted to record interaction with groundwater that occurred post-mortem during flooding events. As reported in previous anthropological studies of a similar nature, the Pb isotope results reported here are particularly sensitive to monitoring post mortem diagenetic alteration given their extremely low abundances in non-altered tooth enamel. In contrast, the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios have been minimally perturbed by post mortem alteration, and therefore most likely represent individuals with distinct Sr isotopic signatures inherited from different geographic regions.

本研究报告了位于苏丹埃尔库鲁库什特皇家公墓附近的中世纪（基督教）墓地考古遗迹中牙釉质的新微量元素以及 Pb 和 Sr 同位素组成。El-Kurru考古遗址位于努比亚高原南缘尼罗河沿岸；基岩地质为新元古代结晶基底，上覆白垩纪河流砂岩和泥岩。El-Kurru 位于两个发育良好的流域之间，过去由于当地的强降水事件而遭受周期性（与干河有关的）洪水。牙釉质样本取自 18 名不同年龄和性别的人。大量样品的微量元素丰度记录了相对于现代（“体内”）牙釉质的浓度升高，包括 Pb 和 U；然而，这两种元素的丰度与此处研究的其余微量元素（Ba、Fe、Mg、Mn、Nd、Sr）的含量没有显着相关性。此处研究的所有微量元素的计算富集因子相对于平均地壳值与人类接触铅矿石的情况不一致，铅同位素结果证实了这一点。Sr 同位素组成定义了 2 个主要的基团，这些基团产生 此处研究的所有微量元素的计算富集因子相对于平均地壳值与人类接触铅矿石的情况不一致，铅同位素结果证实了这一点。Sr 同位素组成定义了 2 个主要的基团，这些基团产生 此处研究的所有微量元素的计算富集因子相对于平均地壳值与人类接触铅矿石的情况不一致，铅同位素结果证实了这一点。Sr 同位素组成定义了 2 个主要的基团，这些基团产生⁸⁷锶/ ⁸⁶Sr 比率高于或低于 0.7072，具有相似的 Sr 丰度（范围在 ~100 和 ~400 ppm 之间）。Pb 同位素组成变化极大，并且与其相应的 U/Pb 比值密切相关；前者与属于撒哈拉元克拉通和阿拉伯努比亚地盾构造省的新元古代近端岩石的铅同位素比率重叠。位于 El-Kurru 基督教墓地内的搪瓷样品的微量元素丰度和 Sr 和 Pb 同位素组成的组合最适合用来记录洪水事件期间死后发生的与地下水的相互作用。正如之前类似性质的人类学研究报告的那样，此处报告的 Pb 同位素结果对监测死后成岩变化特别敏感，因为它们在未改变的牙釉质中的丰度极低。相比之下，⁸⁷ Sr/ ⁸⁶ Sr 比率受死后改变的影响最小，因此最有可能代表具有不同地理区域遗传的不同 Sr 同位素特征的个体。