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Bone diagenesis in the European Holocene I: patterns and mechanisms

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Christina Nielsen-Marsh, Dr Matthew Collins

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Abstract

Diagenetic changes in archaeological bone are known to influence the data derived from such material and have thus been the subject of numerous studies. A number of general trends have been observed, but many of the processes that occur are still not fully understood. We present here the analysis of 195 bones excavated from 32 sites in five different countries from Eurasia characterized using 10 simple diagenetic parameters. The results reveal that most European Holocene archaeological bone can be categorized by only four main diagenetic states related to three distinct trajectories that describe more than 60% of the variation in these parameters. Given the potential amount of variation in the dataset the small number of diagenetic pathways is surprising, but highlights the large importance of a few key factors that influence bone diagenesis. Mercury intrusion porosimetry is a key technique for identifying modes of degradation. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Smith CI, Nielsen-Marsh CM, Jans MME, Collins MJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Journal of Archaeological Science

Year: 2007

Volume: 34

Issue: 9

Pages: 1485-1493

Print publication date: 01/09/2007

ISSN (print): 0305-4403

ISSN (electronic): 1095-9238

Publisher: Academic Press

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2006.11.006

DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2006.11.006


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