As a sloppy, rough guess, didn’t they traditionally look at teeth? They indicate when someone suddenly doesn’t get sufficient calcium.
I am disappointed in the level of disinterest in science exhibited by comments at a science oriented post by people who are apparently on a science ping list.
My first thought was it will be interesting to see if follow up studies confirm these initial findings. It will also be interesting if this methodology gives results in studies at sites earlier than 2,000 years ago. My second thought, for those of us who have ever read any of the Clan of the Cave Bear series, is how much interesting material might be generated for future life-like stories of earlier periods in human history.
td, I did get a good laugh.