Skeletal remains (14 c)

Abstract

Skeletal remains contain two carbon pools, an organic phase that is primarily collagen protein and an inorganic mineral phase containing calcium carbonate. The organic phase, primarily collagen, is the preferred target for radiocarbon dating because it does not readily incorporate carbon from the burial environment, whereas secondary carbonates from the burial environment readily precipitate within the mineral phase. Diagenesis, the physical and chemical reactions that alter skeletal remains during burial and decay, differs according to the particular chemistry of the burial environment. Thus, the preservation state of a particular bone is difficult to predict. A variety of purification protocols have been developed to isolate collagen protein or subcomponents of it. Although historically skeletal remains were considered a riskier material for radiocarbon dating than cellulosic materials, their inherent complexity translates into increased information content. Advances in understanding how dateable components in archaeological bone and teeth survive, and how they can be extracted, have made them important materials for radiocarbon dating.