Mapping diagenesis in archaeological human bones

Kaare Lund Rasmussen; George Milner; Lilian Skytte; Niels Lynnerup; Jørgen Lange Thomsen; Jesper Lier Boldsen

doi:10.1186/s40494-019-0285-7

Mapping diagenesis in archaeological human bones

Kaare Lund Rasmussen^*, George Milner, Lilian Skytte, Niels Lynnerup, Jørgen Lange Thomsen, Jesper Lier Boldsen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Section of Forensic Pathology

8 Citations (Scopus)

19 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We describe a procedure for ascertaining the extent of diagenesis in archaeological human skeletons through the distribution of Sr, Ba, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Mn in cross-sections of femoral cortical bone. Element mapping is performed through Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Absolute calibrations of element concentrations were obtained using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) on adjacent dissolved bulk bone samples. By comparing a modern individual to five medieval to early modern Danish skeletons, we demonstrate the degree to which concentrations of trace elements are attributable to diagenesis. Invasion from the exterior bone surface into a degraded part of the outer cortical bone is the most frequently occurring diagenetic change. In the archaeological skeletons investigated, diagenetic modification is restricted to, at most, the outer ca. 0.5 mm of bone. In one femur, Haversian channels were filled with diagenetic material, which appears to have entered the bone through a network of cavities largely made up by Haversian and Volkmann’s canals.

Original language	English
Article number	41
Journal	Heritage Science
Volume	7
Pages (from-to)	1-24
ISSN	2050-7445
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-019-0285-7
Publication status	Published - 2019

Keywords

Bones
Denmark
Diagenesis
Human bones
Medieval
Trace element chemistry

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Mapping diagenesis in archaeological human bonesFinal published version, 4.92 MBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Mapping diagenesis in archaeological human bones",

abstract = "We describe a procedure for ascertaining the extent of diagenesis in archaeological human skeletons through the distribution of Sr, Ba, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Mn in cross-sections of femoral cortical bone. Element mapping is performed through Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Absolute calibrations of element concentrations were obtained using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) on adjacent dissolved bulk bone samples. By comparing a modern individual to five medieval to early modern Danish skeletons, we demonstrate the degree to which concentrations of trace elements are attributable to diagenesis. Invasion from the exterior bone surface into a degraded part of the outer cortical bone is the most frequently occurring diagenetic change. In the archaeological skeletons investigated, diagenetic modification is restricted to, at most, the outer ca. 0.5 mm of bone. In one femur, Haversian channels were filled with diagenetic material, which appears to have entered the bone through a network of cavities largely made up by Haversian and Volkmann{\textquoteright}s canals.",

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AU - Rasmussen, Kaare Lund

AU - Milner, George

AU - Skytte, Lilian

AU - Lynnerup, Niels

AU - Thomsen, Jørgen Lange

AU - Boldsen, Jesper Lier

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - We describe a procedure for ascertaining the extent of diagenesis in archaeological human skeletons through the distribution of Sr, Ba, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Mn in cross-sections of femoral cortical bone. Element mapping is performed through Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Absolute calibrations of element concentrations were obtained using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) on adjacent dissolved bulk bone samples. By comparing a modern individual to five medieval to early modern Danish skeletons, we demonstrate the degree to which concentrations of trace elements are attributable to diagenesis. Invasion from the exterior bone surface into a degraded part of the outer cortical bone is the most frequently occurring diagenetic change. In the archaeological skeletons investigated, diagenetic modification is restricted to, at most, the outer ca. 0.5 mm of bone. In one femur, Haversian channels were filled with diagenetic material, which appears to have entered the bone through a network of cavities largely made up by Haversian and Volkmann’s canals.

AB - We describe a procedure for ascertaining the extent of diagenesis in archaeological human skeletons through the distribution of Sr, Ba, Cu, Pb, Fe, and Mn in cross-sections of femoral cortical bone. Element mapping is performed through Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Absolute calibrations of element concentrations were obtained using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) on adjacent dissolved bulk bone samples. By comparing a modern individual to five medieval to early modern Danish skeletons, we demonstrate the degree to which concentrations of trace elements are attributable to diagenesis. Invasion from the exterior bone surface into a degraded part of the outer cortical bone is the most frequently occurring diagenetic change. In the archaeological skeletons investigated, diagenetic modification is restricted to, at most, the outer ca. 0.5 mm of bone. In one femur, Haversian channels were filled with diagenetic material, which appears to have entered the bone through a network of cavities largely made up by Haversian and Volkmann’s canals.

KW - Bones

KW - Denmark

KW - Diagenesis

KW - Human bones

KW - Medieval

KW - Trace element chemistry

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DO - 10.1186/s40494-019-0285-7

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85067972997

SN - 2050-7445

VL - 7

SP - 1

EP - 24

JO - Heritage Science

JF - Heritage Science

M1 - 41

ER -

Mapping diagenesis in archaeological human bones

Abstract

Keywords

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