Category: Publications

New paper: Determining the impact of elemental composition on the long-term survival of vegetable-tanned leather in archaeological environments

Published on by Gillian

Very pleased that a paper that took an enormous amount of setting up, monitoring and determination has finally been published in Archaeometry.

The rather  long title is ‘Determining the impact of elemental composition on the long-term survival of vegetable-tanned leather in archaeological environments.‘

This paper started as what do we understand about leather degradation, to how we can look at this in the laboratory into a full scale microcosm set up in the laboratory. Helga set up and monitored these systems, each having a different variable, coupled with multiple variables of leather types.. it was a spreadsheet nightmare..

Abstract

This research paper investigated whether elemental analysis can differentiate leather manufacturing from soil contamination and whether soil hydrology and elemental composition impact degradation of leather. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a quick method for monitoring large-scale changes and groupings of aggregate inorganic elemental signatures, as well as influx of soil-based elements into the leather samples. Soil elements appeared to leach into vegetable-tanned leather within 2 months of burial, following pathways that are primarily dictated by soil hydrology (acidity, redox and saturation). Leather stability was also traced to elemental concentrations prior to burial, most likely introduced through the tanning liquid, and via a contributory factor of perimineralisation in the soil.

New paper

Published on by Gillian

I know it has been a busy start to the new year.. second paper of the year..

This new paper, marks the last of the thesis paper from Dr C Bisker, Comparative soil bacterial metabarcoding after aboveground vs. subsurface decomposition of Mus musculus

Link: Comparative soil bacterial metabarcoding after aboveground vs. subsurface decomposition of Mus musculus | Scientific Reports

Abstract

Outdoor microcosms, metabarcoding with next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA bacterial gene, total body score (TBS) and physicochemical analyses were used to monitor Mus musculus decomposition aboveground (A) and in the subsurface (S), and compared to soil-only controls (C). As determined by MaAsLin2 analysis, significant shifts in bacterial communities at 30 cm depths within the A, S and C treatments distinguished control from experimental soils, and between aboveground and subsurface deposition, demonstrating the potential for gravesoil discrimination during the first 90 days. For example, Dokdonella (p = 0.0002), Edaphobaculum (p = 0.0004) and Lacibacter (p = 0.0034) recorded significant shifts relative to sampling time. Furthermore, Massilia (p = 0.0005), Mycobacterium (p = 0.0006) and Sandaracinus (p = 0.0007) increased in abundance for the aboveground mice treatments. This was confirmed with ANOSIM where p = 0.0082 showed statistically significant difference between the aboveground and subsurface deposition. TBS and physicochemical analyses suggested that nutrient release into the soils occurred during active decay and skin rapture on days 7–13 in the subsurface and days 13–20 aboveground, with a particular increase in soil potassium concentration on day 15. Significant differences in soil temperatures resulted between A and S vs. C microcosms, aligning with atmospheric temperature changes. In summary, complementary application of metabarcoding, total body score, exogenous and physicochemical methods for postmortem interval estimation and clandestine grave location highlighted the feasibility of using temperature records downloaded from meteorological stations and portable X-ray fluorescence as indicators for various phases of decomposition.

New Paper

Published on by Gillian

New paper

Rhys started his PhD work in 2017 and one of the things that was always at the forefront of our thinking, was the impact was bones diagenesis.. diagenesis is so complex, but this is one paper that helps pull together variable which impact.. so really pleased it is finally out..

Bone Diagenesis and Extremes of Preservation in Forensic Science
Abstract: Understanding the composition and diagenetic processes of the deposition environment is pivotal to understanding why bone undergoes preservation or diagenesis. This research explores the complex nexus of diagenesis at the extremes of preservation, via the interdependent chemical, and short- and long-term microbial processes that influence diagenesis. These processes include dissolution, ion exchange, hydrolysis, recrystallisation, waterlogging, acidity and alkalinity, soil composition, redox potential, bacterial activity, and microbiome composition. Diagenetic processes are discussed in relation to typical sites and sites with extremes of preservation. Understanding site conditions that impact diagenetic processes is critical to understanding the visual features presented in recovered skeletal material, ensuring an appropriate post-mortem interval is assigned, and for subsequent post hoc analysis of bone.

Bone Diagenesis and Extremes of Preservation in Forensic Science

 

New Book published

Published on by Gillian

It is with great pleasure to announce the publication of a book chapter in:

The Bloomsbury Handbook of Experimental Approaches to Roman Archaeology

At the AIA I was able to finally to get my hands on it, as the first print run sold out..
the volume has some amazing chapters, including ‘Chapter 11: Roman Leather Manufacture and the Archaeological Record: An Experimental Approach
Hrafnhildur Helga Halldórsdóttir and Gillian Taylor (Teesside University, UK)’