I agree with this assessment of Ignacio's, based on treating similar bones from Turkmenistan. UPenn conservator Lynn  Grant recommended that we try methanol and then, if things results were acceptable, methanol diluted half and half with water. We cleaned only small areas of specimens (especially teeth). We experimented with this and found it to be effective.

KATHERINE M. MOORE, PH.D.

Practice Professor, Department of Anthropology

Undergraduate Chair

Mainwaring Teaching Specialist

Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials

PENN MUSEUM

3260 SOUTH STREET

PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104-36324

TEL: 215-898-6306

email [log in to unmask]

www.penn.museum

---

From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Ignacio A Lazagabaster <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2019 9:35 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Salt an bone preservation

 

Dear Azadeh,

Based on my experience (Dead Sea region for instance), in general it is better not to use water. The salt could recrystalize after the bone dries and if you wet it you may weaken the bones structurally. By the way, salt may help to preserve DNA better! In sum, I think you should not use water. 

Ignacio A Lazagabaster

On Tue, Feb 12, 2019 at 4:11 PM azadeh mohaseb <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Dear ZOOARCHs

 

Do you know how to treat bones collected in very saline soils (in southern Irak for example). Does any one has made the experience in such contexts ? what happens after few month of storage of the bones for example?  Do you think dry brushing the bones and getting rid of extra dust is sufficient to preserve bones during several months ? There are also issues with water shortage in the field. But in any case do you think washing the bones could help ?

 

Thanks for your feed back. 

Azadeh

---

To unsubscribe from the ZOOARCH list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=ZOOARCH&A=1

--

Ignacio A Lazagabaster
Obra Social La Caixa Graduate Fellow

Teaching Assistant
Institute of Human Origins
School of Human Evolution and Social Change
Arizona State University

PO Box 872402

Tempe AZ 85287-2402

---

To unsubscribe from the ZOOARCH list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=ZOOARCH&A=1

---

To unsubscribe from the ZOOARCH list, click the following link:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=ZOOARCH&A=1