title: An investigation into the persistence of textile fibres on buried carcasses.
abstract: A significant amount of research has been carried out on fibres to aid the forensic scientist in determining the significance of these when found on a victim or suspect. This work has focused on open-air environments, and as such no research has been undertaken to examine the persistence of fibres on bodies in the burial environment. Wool and cotton fibres, known to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light, were transferred onto the skin of four porcine (Sus scrofa) carcasses (two carcasses per fibre type). The number of fibres transferred was recorded from images taken under UV light. The remains were subsequently placed in four burial sites and left interred for 14 days. After this period the carcasses were excavated and lightly brushed down to remove the soil layer that had adhered to the skin. Once again photography under UV light was used to record the number of fibres which persisted on the skin. Results showed that after 14 days, wool and cotton fibres remain on the surface of the buried carcasses. In no circumstance was there a total loss of fibres suggesting that in such scenarios, the likelihood of finding fibres is high but the initial number of fibres transferred would be strongly diminished. This has important implications for both the excavation protocol for buried remains and the subsequent analysis for physical evidence.
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS1 3BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Roslyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: DeBattista
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS1 3BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tidy
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS1 3BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tim J U
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS1 3BA, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002048:Burial; D049249:Exhumation; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D023421:Models, Animal; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013552:Swine; D013784:Textiles; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
keywords: Burial; Fibre persistence; Forensic archaeology; Forensic science; Skin; Taphonomy