Geez, Sarah, this sounds more like paleo than archaeo. We of the former
persuasion are inclined to use plaster bandaging over wet tissue or wet
newspaper. Very handy are the type of plaster bandages that come
prepackaged and with the cloth already permeated with plaster of Paris.
You just throw them in a bucket of water until they're soaked, then apply.
However, you don't mention how big your skeletal parts are. Are we talking
about birds here or buffaloes? It sounds as if it might be closer to
buffaloes, and in that case, standard techniques of plaster bandaging will
probably do you fine.
You can contact Dave Burman at The University of Kansas....he's done this
many a time, and he's also expert in materials procurement. Write
[log in to unmask] Cheers -- Dr. Deb
> Dear fellow zooarchaeologists,
>
> I am currently excavating a site with complete faunal elements that are
> very fragile. The soil is very moist and has caused the bones to become
> brittle to the touch. We are pedestaling each element as it is exposed
> and
> plan to transport each element on a section of plywood, but there is some
> concern that the bones with shift and crack during transportation. Has
> anyone dealt with this kind of issue before, and if so found a solution to
> prevent the bones from breaking during transport?
>
> Thanks,
> Sarah
>
> --
> Sarah Jenkins, MA
> Supervising Archaeologist/ Zooarchaeologist
> Archaeological Investigations Northwest
> 2632 S.E. 162nd Ave.
> Portland, Oregon 97236
>
>
> “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the
> most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”
> ~Edward Abbey
>
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