The use and prevalence of lead has impacted societies for millennia. While we are well aware of the impacts of lead on modern public health, recent developments in archaeological science has painted a clearer picture of its impact in the past.
In this webinar WSLH Isotope Geochemist Sean Scott explains new research detailing the environmental and public health effects of lead in antiquity, specifically associated with its uses in the Roman Empire. Sean also discusses how environmental implications of past societies compare to similar challenges we face today in Wisconsin.
Webinar link – https://slhstream2.ad.slh.wisc.edu/Mediasite/Play/521689718baa46299303aa0c613fabb51d
Resources to learn more
Archaeometry – Elevated lead exposure in Roman occupants of Londinium: New evidence from the archaeological record
Online References
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39366713
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_lead_pipe_ostia_antica_04.jpg
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=34&po=10)
https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/
Scientific Papers
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Diaz-Somoano M et al. (2009) Stable Lead Isotope Compositions In Selected Coals From Around The World And Implications For Present Day Aerosol Source Tracing. Environ Sci Technol 43:1078-1085 doi:10.1021/es801818r
Durali-Mueller, S., Brey, G. P., Wigg-Wolf, D., and Lahaye, Y., 2007, Roman lead mining in Germany: its origin and development through time deduced from lead isotope provenance studies. Journal of Archaeological Science, 34, 1555–67.
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Schwikowski, M., Barbante, C., Doering, T., Gaeggeler, H.W., Boutron, C., Shotterer, U., Tobler, L., Van de Velde, K., Ferrari, C., Cozzi, G., Rosman, K., Cescon, P., 2004, Post-17th Century changes of European lead emissions, recorded in high-altitude alpine snow and ice. Environmental Science and Technology, 38, 957-964.
Shafer, M. M., Siker, M., Overdier, J. T., Ramsl, P. C., Teschler-Nicola, M., and Farrell, P. M., 2008, Enhanced methods for assessment of the trace element composition of Iron-age bone, Science of the Total Environment, 401,144–61.
Shaw, H., Montgomery, J., Redfern, R., Gowland, R., and Evans, J., 2016, Identifying migrants in Roman London usinglead and strontium stable isotopes, Journal of Archaeological Science, 66, 57–68.
Sherman LS, Blum JD, Dvonch JT, Gratz LE, Landis MS (2015) The use of Pb, Sr, and Hg isotopes in Great Lakes precipitation as a tool for pollution source attribution. Science of the Total Environment 502:362-374 doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.09.034
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Smith KE, Shafer MM, Weiss D, Anderson HA, Gorski PR (2017) High-Precision (MC-ICPMS) Isotope Ratio Analysis Reveals Contrasting Sources of Elevated Blood Lead Levels of an Adult with Retained Bullet Fragments, and of His Child, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Biological trace element research 177:33-42 doi:10.1007/s12011-016-0872-3
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