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Not a limitless resource: ethics and guidelines for destructive sampling of archaeofaunal remains

With the advent of ancient DNA, as well as other methods such as isotope analysis, destructive sampling of archaeofaunal remains has increased much faster than the effort to collect and curate them. While there has been considerable discussion regarding the ethics of destructive sampling and analysi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Royal Society open science 2019-10, Vol.6 (10), p.191059-191059
Main Authors: Pálsdóttir, Albína Hulda, Bläuer, Auli, Rannamäe, Eve, Boessenkool, Sanne, Hallsson, Jón Hallsteinn
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:With the advent of ancient DNA, as well as other methods such as isotope analysis, destructive sampling of archaeofaunal remains has increased much faster than the effort to collect and curate them. While there has been considerable discussion regarding the ethics of destructive sampling and analysis of human remains, this dialogue has not extended to archaeofaunal material. Here we address this gap and discuss the ethical challenges surrounding destructive sampling of materials from archaeofaunal collections. We suggest ways of mitigating the negative aspects of destructive sampling and present step-by-step guidelines aimed at relevant stakeholders, including scientists, holding institutions and scientific journals. Our suggestions are in most cases easily implemented without significant increases in project costs, but with clear long-term benefits in the preservation and use of zooarchaeological material.
ISSN:2054-5703
2054-5703
DOI:10.1098/rsos.191059