| Abstract: |
Trace element analysis of human skeletal remains is an important tool in paleonutritional studies, providing unique information on 1) diachronic shifts and synchronous dietary differentiations within populations, as well as 2) paleodemographic variables, particularly the age of weaning. However, the initial expectations have not been fully met, the last 15 years' continued research has rather been characterized by a growing awareness of basic intricacies of the method. Firstly, postmortem changes in bone chemistry may lead to misinterpretations. Moreover, the theoretical basis for these interpretations is not as solid as it should to warrant unequivocal results. The main features of these diagenetic and interpretative problems are discussed in the present paper, followed by an evaluation of the potential applications of the technique.
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