Researchers say they can now detect the presence of hormones linked with pregnancy in ancient human remains. Matt Dunham/AP

Scientists say they have found a way to test ancient human remains for hormones linked with pregnancy, a breakthrough that may allow archaeologists to determine whether a woman was pregnant or had recently given birth at the time of her death.

Researchers found key reproductive hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone in hard tissues, such as the bones and teeth, of skeletons dating back as far as 1,000 years, according to a study published October 2 in the Journal of Archaeological Science .

“We found a ‘hormone archive’ in skeletons and teeth,” said lead study author Aimée Barlow, an archaeologist at the University of Sheffield, northern England.

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