First analysis of ancient burned human skeletal remains probed by neutron and optical vibrational spectroscopy

Autor: Roberto Senesi, Stewart F. Parker, Olga Rickards, Lucia Sarti, Nicoletta Volante, V. Cipollari, Maria Paula M. Marques, Giulia Festa, Fabio Martini, Cristina Martínez-Labarga, Carla Andreani, Marica Baldoni, A. R. Vassalo, L. A. E. Batista de Carvalho, A. P. Mamede, M. F. Rolfo, F.R. Stasolla
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Small Angle
Settore L-ANT/01 - Preistoria e Protostoria
History
02 engineering and technology
Spectrum Analysis
Raman
Scattering
Spectroscopy
Fourier Transform Infrared
Femur
Raman
Spectroscopy
Research Articles
History
Ancient
Applied Physics
0303 health sciences
Multidisciplinary
Settore FIS/07
SciAdv r-articles
Integrated approach
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Body Remains
Chemistry
Neutron Diffraction
Archaeology
ancient burned bones
funerary practiices
spectroscopy
0210 nano-technology
Medieval
Geology
Research Article
Vibrational spectra
Mineralogy
Infrared spectroscopy
Bone and Bones
Inelastic neutron scattering
Ancient
03 medical and health sciences
Scattering
Small Angle
Humans
Neutron
Cremation
Fibula
History
Medieval
Humerus
030304 developmental biology
ancient burned bones
funerary practiices
Spectrum Analysis
Neutron spectroscopy
Applied Sciences and Engineering
Fourier Transform Infrared
Relevant information
Zdroj: Science Advances
ISSN: 2375-2548
Popis: A pioneer study on burned archaeological bones, by physicochemical techniques, provided unique information on past civilizations.
Burned skeletal remains are abundant in archaeological and paleontological sites, the result of fire or of ancient funerary practices. In the burning process, the bone matrix suffers structural and dimensional changes that interfere with the reliability of available osteometric methods. Recent studies showed that these macroscopic changes are accompanied by microscopic variations are reflected in vibrational spectra. An innovative integrated approach to the study of archaeological combusted skeletal remains is reported here, where the application of complementary vibrational spectroscopic techniques—INS (inelastic neutron scattering), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), and micro-Raman—enables access to the complete vibrational profile and constitutes the first application of neutron spectroscopy to ancient bones. Comparison with data from modern human bones that were subjected to controlled burning allowed identification of specific heating conditions. This pioneering study provides archaeologists and anthropologists with relevant information on past civilizations, including regarding funerary, burial, and cooking practices and environmental settings.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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