Dear Zooarchers,
We have been cleaning an ungluate for the reference osteological
collection, and are not sure how to proceed with cracked long bones. They
were buried for a long time, then macerated with enzymes. However, the
bones had thin cracks before maceration, and after a while these fissures
seem to be opening wider. However, periosteum is still attached, and we
wonder what the best way to get rid of it would be without further damaging
the diaphises (water seems to fill in the medullary cavities and exert some
outward pressure through the preexisting cracks).
On the other hand, have you experienced a decrease efficiency of enzymes
when you use some from a container that has been open for a while? This is
a hypothesis we´ve been discussing with some colleagues here and I would
like to hear of any similar experiences.
Any info, opinion or idea on either subject would be welcome! Thank you in
advance.
Best,
Mariana
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Mariana Mondini
Laboratorio de Zooarqueología y Tafonomía de Zonas Áridas (LaZTA)
CONICET-Museo de Antropología UNC
Av. H. Yrigoyen 174
(5000) Córdoba, Argentina
Tel./fax: (54-351) 4332105
Email: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
Web: http://blogs.ffyh.unc.edu.ar/zooarqueologia
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