Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

M.J. Collins; M.M.E. Jans; C.M. Nielsen-Marsh; C.I. Smith; H. Kars

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

M.J. Collins, M.M.E. Jans, C.M. Nielsen-Marsh, C.I. Smith, H. Kars

Archaeology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	87-95
Number of pages	9
Journal	Journal of archaeological science
Volume	31
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007
Publication status	Published - Jan 2004

Bibliographical note

Keywords

archaeological bone
diagenesis
microbial attack
mercury intrusion porosimetry
histology
DIAGENETIC ALTERATION
DEAD BONE
DECOMPOSITION
REMAINS

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007

Cite this

@article{819809b9ab814fe1becc22f06406d68c,

title = "Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone",

abstract = "As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.",

keywords = "archaeological bone, diagenesis, microbial attack, mercury intrusion porosimetry, histology, DIAGENETIC ALTERATION, DEAD BONE, DECOMPOSITION, REMAINS",

author = "M.J. Collins and M.M.E. Jans and C.M. Nielsen-Marsh and C.I. Smith and H. Kars",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2004 Elsevier Science Ltd.",

year = "2004",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007",

language = "English",

volume = "31",

pages = "87--95",

journal = "Journal of archaeological science",

issn = "0305-4403",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

AU - Collins, M.J.

AU - Jans, M.M.E.

AU - Nielsen-Marsh, C.M.

AU - Smith, C.I.

AU - Kars, H.

PY - 2004/1

Y1 - 2004/1

N2 - As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB - As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

KW - archaeological bone

KW - diagenesis

KW - microbial attack

KW - mercury intrusion porosimetry

KW - histology

KW - DIAGENETIC ALTERATION

KW - DEAD BONE

KW - DECOMPOSITION

KW - REMAINS

U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007

DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2003.07.007

M3 - Article

SN - 0305-4403

VL - 31

SP - 87

EP - 95

JO - Journal of archaeological science

JF - Journal of archaeological science

IS - 1

ER -