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The long–term survival of bone: the role of bioerosion

The long–term survival of bone: the role of bioerosion
The long–term survival of bone: the role of bioerosion
Fossil bones (N = 350) spanning more than 350 million years, and covering a wide range of depositional environments, were studied to compare the distribution of microbial destruction features in fossil bones with previously published data sets of bones of archaeological age. The distribution of bioerosion in fossil bones is very different from that found in bone from archaeological sites. Fossil bones typically show little or no bioerosion. Under normal conditions, if a bone is to survive into the fossil record, then rapid bioerosion must be prevented (or halted). This conclusion suggests that early post mortem processes,such as the mode of death, influence the potential of any bone to survive into deep time.
0003-813X
371-382
Trueman, C.N.
d00d3bd6-a47b-4d47-89ae-841c3d506205
Martill, D.M.
b3c3de8a-0db7-4bc5-9749-1d704cd71218
Trueman, C.N.
d00d3bd6-a47b-4d47-89ae-841c3d506205
Martill, D.M.
b3c3de8a-0db7-4bc5-9749-1d704cd71218

Trueman, C.N. and Martill, D.M. (2002) The long–term survival of bone: the role of bioerosion. Archaeometry, 44 (3), 371-382. (doi:10.1111/1475-4754.t01-1-00070).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Fossil bones (N = 350) spanning more than 350 million years, and covering a wide range of depositional environments, were studied to compare the distribution of microbial destruction features in fossil bones with previously published data sets of bones of archaeological age. The distribution of bioerosion in fossil bones is very different from that found in bone from archaeological sites. Fossil bones typically show little or no bioerosion. Under normal conditions, if a bone is to survive into the fossil record, then rapid bioerosion must be prevented (or halted). This conclusion suggests that early post mortem processes,such as the mode of death, influence the potential of any bone to survive into deep time.

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Published date: 2002

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 37993
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/37993
ISSN: 0003-813X
PURE UUID: a29f9ce8-4b13-4298-ab64-13dd69b29669
ORCID for C.N. Trueman: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4995-736X

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Date deposited: 26 May 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:35

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Contributors

Author: C.N. Trueman ORCID iD
Author: D.M. Martill

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