Research

From Whence They Came

September 2024 to present

Dr. John Krigbaum

Bone Chemistry Lab | UF Anthropology Department

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I will apply isotopic analyses of strontium and oxygen to try and answer questions regarding childhood origins of St. Augustinian human remains. Specifically, I will focus on their preserved tooth enamel, a durable tissue to ask questions focused on human history and the human condition. 

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I will be shadowing graduate students as well Dr. Krigbaum in the Bone Chemistry lab, and will be mainly focusing on strontium and oxygen isotope ratios in tooth enamel. This data can be utilized to place individuals in the context of their place of origin during tooth mineralization. Local diet can pinpoint specific geographic areas, including Spain, where these remains are likely from.

 

I will help shed light on how this research will provide an important context towards these questions of individual origin and the early colonization of America’s oldest city by utilizing biochemistry, history, and anthropology.

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