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Hi Pam, If you are not too strict about sacrificing a tiny portion of each long bone, a good way to get rid of that grease is to drill two small holes (5-10 mm should do) per long bone. When I had this problem, I drilled one hole near the proximal end (go for the area where the hollow part of the shaft starts, i.e. avoid drilling a hole into spongy bone) and one near the distal end (with the same logic). I do not know whether the following enhanced degreasing but I drilled one hole on the anterior side and the other on the posterior (with the possibly erroneous assumption that an 'S'-shaped current would flush out grease more efficiently). All the best, Angelos Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 06:48:38 -0400 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] bone degreasing problems... To: [log in to unmask] Thanks for the photoshop advice, Deb! On another vein, I understand you've done a bit of skeletal processing... This subject has come up a few times and I've read various...but... I've got a collection of Equine material which I've been processing with defleshing, dermestids and biotex soaking. They're fine, clean, etc. but still VERY greasy...been drying a set in a low oven for some weeks and have some drainage but not much. Environmentally, I'm in Britain, so drying outside is not really an option. These are obviously modern specimens and robust, still I'd rather avoid significant damage to the cortical bone...but I'd also really like to decrease that fat content. Suggestions? Considering burying some in salt... Pam Pamela J Cross PhD researcher, Bioarchaeology Horses of Men & Gods project (AHRC, NT, SHS, Bernard Cornwell & MoL) Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, BD7 1DP UK p.j.cross (at) student.bradford.ac.uk / pajx (at) aol.com http://www.barc.brad.ac.uk/resstud_Cross.php http://bradford.academia.edu/PamCross http://www.suttonhoo.org/saxon.asp (2012, Issue 54)