How do you safely excavate friable bone? What are the current standard consolidation techniques? Do consolidants affect isotope and/or ancient DNA analysis? What on earth are they doing at Teotihuacan?We will address these and many other consolidation-related questions in a two-part session of the Bioarch Journal Club. Part 1 will take place on November 24 at 8:45am in the Peabody Museum Zooarchaeology Laboratory (3rd floor). We'll discuss the articles below and plan an experiment to test the longevity and contamination problems associated with the new consolidant being used on Teotihuacan faunal remains. Part 2 will take place in December (TBA), where we'll carry out our experimental design on fossil bones donated by Richard and Peter.
Readings:
Recommended by Peter:
Files 1, 2, and 3 from Hamilton's Guide to Underwater Conservation
Florida Museum of Natural History guide to fossil preservation and conservation
Society for Historical Archaeology guide to handling freshly excavated artifacts
Nicholson et al. 2002 about the role of consolidants and glues in DNA contamination
Rossi et al. 2004 on cremated bone consolidation
Recommended by Richard:
Moore et al. 1989 (enter 10.1016/0305-4403(89)90018-6 when prompted for a DOI)
Recommended by Jade:
Johnson 1994 review of consolidation techniques
Jans et al. 2002 (enter 10.1016/0305-4403(89)90018-6 when prompted for a DOI)
Recommended by Tina:
Lopes-Polin et al. 2008 (enter 10.1016/j.jhevol.2007.07.011 when prompted for a DOI)
