British archaeologists and historians from the University of Leicester have found a new way to identify tobacco users who lived several centuries ago. The research was published in the scientific journal magazine Science Advances (SciAdv).
Previous research has shown that some former smokers can be easily identified by marks on clay pipes on their teeth. But not all smokers can protect their teeth, so experts have found another way to evaluate.
Scientists used metabolites found in human bones. The team tested their method on the remains of 18th-century English residents.
Archaeologists compared the chemical composition of the remains of famous smokers from the 1700s with the composition of bone samples taken from the 1500s, before tobacco was introduced to England. Researchers have discovered dozens of characteristic compounds.
Scientists then analyzed 323 skeletons from North Lincolnshire and London. It turns out that smoking was extremely common in England 400 years ago. About half of the remains belonged to smokers, and these were people from all walks of life, both men and women.
According to experts, their methods will allow us to learn more about the substances that people used hundreds and thousands of years ago.
Earlier archaeologists to create Human remains in an ancient vessel filled with liquid wine.
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Source: Gazeta
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