Dating of cremated bones

JN Lanting; AT Aerts-Bijma; J van der Plicht

doi:10.1017/S0033822200038078

Dating of cremated bones

JN Lanting, AT Aerts-Bijma, J van der Plicht^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

When dating unburnt bone, bone collagen, the organic fraction of the bone, is used. Collagen does not survive the heat of the cremation pyre, so dating of cremated bone has been considered impossible. Structural carbonate in the mineral fraction of the bone, however, survives the cremation process. We developed a method of dating cremated bone by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), using this carbonate fraction. Here we present results for a variety of prehistoric sites and ages, showing a remarkable success rate for this method.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	249-254
Number of pages	6
Journal	Radiocarbon
Volume	43
Issue number	2A
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200038078
Publication status	Published - 2001
Event	17th International Radiocarbon Conference - , Israel Duration: 18-Jun-2000 → 23-Jun-2000

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title = "Dating of cremated bones",

abstract = "When dating unburnt bone, bone collagen, the organic fraction of the bone, is used. Collagen does not survive the heat of the cremation pyre, so dating of cremated bone has been considered impossible. Structural carbonate in the mineral fraction of the bone, however, survives the cremation process. We developed a method of dating cremated bone by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), using this carbonate fraction. Here we present results for a variety of prehistoric sites and ages, showing a remarkable success rate for this method.",

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pages = "249--254",

journal = "Radiocarbon",

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AU - Lanting, JN

AU - Aerts-Bijma, AT

AU - van der Plicht, J

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - When dating unburnt bone, bone collagen, the organic fraction of the bone, is used. Collagen does not survive the heat of the cremation pyre, so dating of cremated bone has been considered impossible. Structural carbonate in the mineral fraction of the bone, however, survives the cremation process. We developed a method of dating cremated bone by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), using this carbonate fraction. Here we present results for a variety of prehistoric sites and ages, showing a remarkable success rate for this method.

AB - When dating unburnt bone, bone collagen, the organic fraction of the bone, is used. Collagen does not survive the heat of the cremation pyre, so dating of cremated bone has been considered impossible. Structural carbonate in the mineral fraction of the bone, however, survives the cremation process. We developed a method of dating cremated bone by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), using this carbonate fraction. Here we present results for a variety of prehistoric sites and ages, showing a remarkable success rate for this method.

U2 - 10.1017/S0033822200038078

DO - 10.1017/S0033822200038078

M3 - Article

SN - 0033-8222

VL - 43

SP - 249

EP - 254

JO - Radiocarbon

JF - Radiocarbon

IS - 2A

T2 - 17th International Radiocarbon Conference

Y2 - 18 June 2000 through 23 June 2000

ER -

Dating of cremated bones

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