TY - JOUR
T1 - From riches to rags
T2 - organic deterioration at Star Carr
AU - Elliott, Benjamin
AU - Milner, Nicky
AU - Conneller, Chantal
AU - Penkman, Kirsty
AU - Koon, Hannah
AU - Panter, Ian
AU - Taylor, Barry
AU - Taylor, Maisie
PY - 2011/2/26
Y1 - 2011/2/26
N2 - The 11,000-year old lake edge archaeological site of Star Carr in the Vale of Pickering of North Yorkshire is one of the most famous Mesolithic sites in Europe, and one of the earliest, dated to the period of climatic warming that immediately followed the final termination of the last ice age. One of the main reasons for this international importance is the richness of its organic artefacts, faunal assemblage and environmental data. However, recent investigations have demonstrated that these organic remains have severely deteriorated over the last 60 years due to the decay and acidification of the surrounding peat. This paper presents research into the effects on the bone (histological analysis using light and polarising microscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy, bulk collagen analysis, and amino acid analysis), antler (visual and metrical analysis, loss on ignition and Scanning Electron Microscopy) and wood (visual analysis, decay assessment tests and Scanning Electron Microscopy).
AB - The 11,000-year old lake edge archaeological site of Star Carr in the Vale of Pickering of North Yorkshire is one of the most famous Mesolithic sites in Europe, and one of the earliest, dated to the period of climatic warming that immediately followed the final termination of the last ice age. One of the main reasons for this international importance is the richness of its organic artefacts, faunal assemblage and environmental data. However, recent investigations have demonstrated that these organic remains have severely deteriorated over the last 60 years due to the decay and acidification of the surrounding peat. This paper presents research into the effects on the bone (histological analysis using light and polarising microscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy, bulk collagen analysis, and amino acid analysis), antler (visual and metrical analysis, loss on ignition and Scanning Electron Microscopy) and wood (visual analysis, decay assessment tests and Scanning Electron Microscopy).
U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2011.02.015
DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2011.02.015
M3 - Article
SN - 0305-4403
VL - 38
JO - Journal of Archaeological Science
JF - Journal of Archaeological Science
IS - 10
ER -