Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Dergisi
2009 , Vol 52 , Num 3
Determination of weaning age by Sr/Ca ratios in the Early Bronze Age İkiztepe population
Hacettepe Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Antropoloji Doktoru1,Antropoloji Profesörü2,
Due to the fact that most foods have higher strontium/calcium (Sr/Ca)
ratios than that of human milk, it is possible to determine the age at which
supplementary items entered the infants’ diet and to identify the weaning
process in ancient populations. In this study, Sr, Ca and phosphorous content
of 90 bone samples belonging to infants, children and adults from İkiztepe
settlement dated to the Early Bronze Age were analyzed by inductively coupled
plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method. The Sr/Ca ratio of breastfeeding
infants shows the lowest values among a population since they discriminate
poorly against Sr in favor of Ca in the gastrointestinal tract. The supplementary
food entering the infant diet results in a rapidly increased Sr/Ca ratio. The
increasing discrimination against Sr absorption in the gut with age causes
a decline in the Sr/Ca ratio. With age, the Sr/Ca ratio increases again and
resembles adult values. On the human bones in İkiztepe, it was determined
that the infants were breastfed until they reached one year of age, that the
entry age for supplementary food was approximately at one year, and that
the weaning process was completed at approximately two years of age.
Anahtar Kelimeler :
İkiztepe, sütten kesme, Sr/Ca oranı, kemik kimyası, Erken Tunç Çağı.