Multielement analysis of excavated human bones distinguishes the elements whose proportion is adulterated by soil contamination from those that reflect actual bone content at the time of burial. Differences between the Middle Woodland Gibson site and the Late Woodland Ledders site as a function of the sex and age of the individuals can be associated with the change from a hunter/gatherer to a maize cultivation society. Elemental content also varied according to the status of the Gibson burials. As the sex and status differences only showed up in nonsoil elements, specifically Sr, Zn, Mg, Ca, Na, and Cu, they may be dietrelated phenomena. Variations with age, particularly at the Gibson site, occurred with both soil (Fe, Al, Mn, K) and nonsoil elements, although with respectively distinct patterns, suggesting that both physiological and contaminatory processes are responsible. -- AATA