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Experimental abrasion of water submerged bone: the influence of bombardment by different sediment classes on microabrasion rate

Experimental abrasion of water submerged bone: the influence of bombardment by different sediment classes on microabrasion rate
Experimental abrasion of water submerged bone: the influence of bombardment by different sediment classes on microabrasion rate
Data presented here demonstrates the utility of quantitative analysis of sediment-induced microabrasion on bone’s surface. Fresh sheep (Ovis aries) bone, acting as a human analogue, was bombarded by mobile sediments from silt, sand and gravel classes (ranging 20µm-3.35mm) in a series of flume-based experiments. Controlled bombardment produced unique abrasion patterns on bone which were recordable using scanning electron microscopy. Imaging abrasion at both x100 and x1000 magnifications allowed quantitative and qualitative distinction to be made concerning the sediment class that the bone was abraded by; bombardment by gravel classes caused abrasion to advance through cyclical cracking, whereas smoothing of bone’s surface occurred more frequently in sand and silt classes. A stepwise multi-linear regression model identified changes in sediment grain size (p<0.001), duration of exposure to abrasion (p<0.001), sphericity of the abrasive (p=0.002), and T value (abrasive force) (p=0.013) respectively, as the strongest rate limiting factors controlling microabrasion propagation. The methodology presented herein demonstrates analytical value by allowing diagnostic modifications to bone’s surface to be correlated with specific taphonomic processes. Data developed from flume-based experimentation was applied in four separate case studies; abrasion data recorded on bones recovered from different aquatic contexts, was linked to hydrological and marine seabed sediment data to demonstrate how documented microabrasion can reflect the different sedimentary contexts bone has passed through. In light of these results we suggest that a quantitative approach to analysing abrasion on bone retrieved from water has potential to allow remains’ submersion times and transport pathways to be established with a higher degree of resolution than is currently possible. The development of improved methodologies for the interpretation of submerged human bone is vital due to the increasing risks posed by flooding and coastal erosion to archaeological sites.
Fluvial taphonomy, Human remains, Sediment abrasion, Aquatic environments, SEM
2352-409X
15-29
Griffith, Samuel
ddad652e-7fc2-46de-9361-4729b14c5701
Thompson, Charlie
2a304aa6-761e-4d99-b227-cedb67129bfb
Thompson, T.J.U
149802bd-1514-4bb1-b9be-3d7bb64f8ca2
Gowland, R.L.
42a017cd-908d-400b-87ed-a91f1f56e251
Griffith, Samuel
ddad652e-7fc2-46de-9361-4729b14c5701
Thompson, Charlie
2a304aa6-761e-4d99-b227-cedb67129bfb
Thompson, T.J.U
149802bd-1514-4bb1-b9be-3d7bb64f8ca2
Gowland, R.L.
42a017cd-908d-400b-87ed-a91f1f56e251

Griffith, Samuel, Thompson, Charlie and Thompson, T.J.U et al. (2016) Experimental abrasion of water submerged bone: the influence of bombardment by different sediment classes on microabrasion rate. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 10, 15-29. (doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2016.09.001).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Data presented here demonstrates the utility of quantitative analysis of sediment-induced microabrasion on bone’s surface. Fresh sheep (Ovis aries) bone, acting as a human analogue, was bombarded by mobile sediments from silt, sand and gravel classes (ranging 20µm-3.35mm) in a series of flume-based experiments. Controlled bombardment produced unique abrasion patterns on bone which were recordable using scanning electron microscopy. Imaging abrasion at both x100 and x1000 magnifications allowed quantitative and qualitative distinction to be made concerning the sediment class that the bone was abraded by; bombardment by gravel classes caused abrasion to advance through cyclical cracking, whereas smoothing of bone’s surface occurred more frequently in sand and silt classes. A stepwise multi-linear regression model identified changes in sediment grain size (p<0.001), duration of exposure to abrasion (p<0.001), sphericity of the abrasive (p=0.002), and T value (abrasive force) (p=0.013) respectively, as the strongest rate limiting factors controlling microabrasion propagation. The methodology presented herein demonstrates analytical value by allowing diagnostic modifications to bone’s surface to be correlated with specific taphonomic processes. Data developed from flume-based experimentation was applied in four separate case studies; abrasion data recorded on bones recovered from different aquatic contexts, was linked to hydrological and marine seabed sediment data to demonstrate how documented microabrasion can reflect the different sedimentary contexts bone has passed through. In light of these results we suggest that a quantitative approach to analysing abrasion on bone retrieved from water has potential to allow remains’ submersion times and transport pathways to be established with a higher degree of resolution than is currently possible. The development of improved methodologies for the interpretation of submerged human bone is vital due to the increasing risks posed by flooding and coastal erosion to archaeological sites.

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Griffith et al. Experimental abrasion of water submerged bone.pdf - Accepted Manuscript
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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 5 September 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 September 2016
Published date: December 2016
Keywords: Fluvial taphonomy, Human remains, Sediment abrasion, Aquatic environments, SEM
Organisations: Geology & Geophysics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 400387
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/400387
ISSN: 2352-409X
PURE UUID: ffbaa833-92f5-4045-96bb-e61a5566001b
ORCID for Charlie Thompson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1105-6838

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Date deposited: 12 Sep 2016 15:42
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:53

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Contributors

Author: Samuel Griffith
Author: T.J.U Thompson
Author: R.L. Gowland

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