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Also check out the discussion on vivanite present on "Blue Babe" the Pleistocene Bison found by Dale Guthrie.  He has a book published on the find. One of the best taphonomic studies in a long time.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Babe
 
Danny
 
 

Danny N. Walker, PhD, RPA Registrar, RPA Zooarchaeological Identifications Laramie, WY 82072

--- [log in to unmask] wrote:

From: Susanne Miller <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] stained bone question
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:14:27 -0600

Hi Elizabeth - it seems you may have bone stained by vivianite.  This is an iron phosphate material -  I've occasionally seen it encrusting, or as a stain, or 'whiskers', on ancient and even relatively "recent" fossils and bone. 
 
It seems to form in anaerobic iron rich conditions on organic materials - bone, shell, etc.  I'm not at my office/library so can't send any references right now  - but Google, e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivianite    http://www.galleries.com/Vivianite  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/631431/vivianite  (see fun cross reference to 'odontolite' or 'bone turquoise'  http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/425244/odontolite)  for starters?.
 
You mentioned that no metallic artifacts are in association - copper or iron? 
 
C'mon back later - and would love to hear from you and any others on this occurence.
 
It's a fun mineral?  Hydrated and often soft and fragile.    It's also similar to another iron mineral that forms in anaerobic conditions - forgot the chemical signature.  If you leave bones or teeth too long in anaerobic maceration prep water,  teeth, especially,  will often be coated with an amazing black-chrome deposit that looks like metal fillings!.  I know from experience (!?)
 
Best,  Susanne 
 
 
Susanne Miller
Faunal Analysis and CRM Services
1450 Antares Dr.
Idaho Falls, ID  83402
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----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask]" href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Moore, Elizabeth (VMNH)
To: [log in to unmask]" href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 3:09 PM
Subject: [ZOOARCH] stained bone question

I have a cow carpal that has been stained bright turquoise (blue green) in color. It does not look like any copper staining I have seen before – it’s too blue. It is from an inn/hotel built in the 1850s in south central Pennsylvania (eastern United States). Has anybody ever seen any bright turquoise staining? I don’t know what color other metals stain except for copper which is usually more green than this. No hints present from the other artifacts in this context.

Elizabeth

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Dr. Elizabeth Moore

Curator of Archaeology

Virginia Museum of Natural History

Martinsville, VA  24112

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276 634-4176

www.vmnh.net