25th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry IMOG 2011

P-131
Interred with their bones: biomarkers in archaeological burials
Kimberley Green, Matthew Pickering, Don Brothwell, Brendan Keely
University of York, York, United Kingdom (corresponding author:kas516@york.ac.uk)
Archaeological investigation of graves has for a
long time been a crucial means to glimpse into past
cultures. Studies of graves have revealed vital
archaeological information indicating that in the
past, as today, great cultural importance was
placed on death and the ritual of burial. Well
preserved graves can provide evidence of clothing
and grave objects that have shown ritual
significance. Excavations of these graves usually
consist of grave detection, excavation and removal
of human remains and recognisable objects.
It is apparent that the information is being
recovered from graves during archaeological
excavation is not maximised. Even in graves that
are not especially well preserved there exists the
potential to obtain vital information from the soil
through microscopic features and organic residues
preserved within. By means of micromorphological
and trace organic analysis there is the potential to
reveal information on body decay; pre-burial
treatment; drug treatment and evidence of
morbidity.
The InterArChive team combines both
archaeological and chemical backgrounds to build
analytical methods and sampling techniques in
order to develop a process that archaeologists can
use to maximise the evidence obtained from the
graves and therefore improve the interpretations of
the grave.
This part of the project focuses on detailed analysis
of the extractable organic matter from 20 sampling
points within each grave to determine the extent of
variation surrounding the skeletal remains and to
determine if sampling from fewer points would be
sufficient to provide a similar level of information. In
addition, samples have been recovered fro
materials and objects, such as burial pots and
clothing, present in some of the graves.
Fig 1: 17 Sampling points from around the body
Dried and sieved (