[Biogenic decomposition of bone collagens].
Soil bacteria, which are an always present component of all burial conditions, substantially contribute to the decomposition of bone collagen, i.e. even modifications of preserved bone collagen. Archaeometric data, which were derived from collagen remnants, therefore may always contain diagenetic components which disturb the biological signals and must subsequently be eliminated. To adequately assess probable diagenetic influences one should refer to our model of the biogenic steps of decomposition. The taphonomic experiments and their verifications of archaeological human bones, which were gathered from different origins and of different historical times, were done with histological, biochemical and biophysical methods. Experimentally, as well as through archaeological bone analysis, we were able to identify a "high" molecular product of decomposition, which contains (1) changes in the amino acid composition caused by specific soil conditions and (2) significant deviations of stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes. Due to decomposition procedures, isotope analysis of isolated amino acids indicate rearrangements of collagen fragments.
Turban-Just
S
S
Institut für Anthropologie und Humangenetik, Universtiät München.
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000266:history; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D002048:Burial / Q000266:history*; D003094:Collagen / Q000266:history* / Q000378:metabolism; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D010164:Paleopathology; D012988:Soil Microbiology
D000596:Amino Acids; D003094:Collagen