Microscopic Examination of Human Femurs Buried at Washington Island, Wisconsin

Shafts of human femurs from burials on Washington Island, Wisconsin dated ca. A.D. 200 were in good enough condition to allow decalcification, microscopic sectioning and routine staining. Many histological features of the bone are retained. Such procedures are less laborious than grinding undecalcif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American antiquity 1970-10, Vol.35 (4), p.463-465
Main Authors: Peske, G. Richard, Tappen, N. C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archaeological sites
Archaeology
Bones
Collagens
Core samples
Femur
Histology
Laboratory staining techniques
Long bones
Middens
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Summary:Shafts of human femurs from burials on Washington Island, Wisconsin dated ca. A.D. 200 were in good enough condition to allow decalcification, microscopic sectioning and routine staining. Many histological features of the bone are retained. Such procedures are less laborious than grinding undecalcified sections, allow three-dimensional observation of serial sections, and offer possible uses in age determinations of skeletons and paleopathology. The specimens give initial evidence that prompt burial prevents the formation of weathering cracks in bone.
ISSN:0002-7316
2325-5064
DOI:10.2307/278117