Substantiating microCT for diagnosing bioerosion in archaeological bone using a new Virtual Histological Index (VHI)

Autor(en)

Kirsten Mandl, Kellie Sara Duffett Carlson, David Brönnimann, Ashley McCall, Martin Grassberger, Maria Teschler-Nicola, Estella Weiss-Krejci, Brian Metscher

Abstrakt

Recent technological advances have broadened the application of palaeoradiology for non-destructive investigation of ancient remains. X-ray microtomography (microCT) in particular is increasingly used as an alternative to histological bone sections for interpreting pathological alterations, trauma, microstructure, and, more recently, bioerosion with direct or ancillary use of histological indices. However, no systematic attempt has been made to confirm the reliability of microCT for histotaphonomic analysis of archaeological bone. The objective of this study is therefore to compare thin sections of human femora rated with the Oxford Histological Index to microCT sections using the newly developed Virtual Histological Index in order to provide an accessible methodology for the evaluation of bioerosion in archaeological bone. We provide detailed descriptions of virtual sections and assess the efficacy of the method on cranial and postcranial elements, cremated long bones, and faunal samples. The traditional histological and virtual methods showed a strong correlation, providing the first systematic data substantiating lab-based microCT as a suitable alternative tool for reconstructing post-mortem history in the archaeological record, and for the reliable, non-destructive screening of samples for further analyses.

Organisation(en)

Department für Evolutionäre Anthropologie, Institut für Urgeschichte und Historische Archäologie, Forschungsverbund Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), Institut für Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie, Department für Evolutionsbiologie

Externe Organisation(en)

Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW), Universität Basel, Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (NHM), Independent researcher

Journal

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

Band

14

ISSN

1866-9557

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-022-01563-w

Publikationsdatum

06-2022

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

106056 Biologische Anthropologie, 601025 Experimentelle Archäologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Archaeology, Anthropology, Archaeology

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/substantiating-microct-for-diagnosing-bioerosion-in-archaeological-bone-using-a-new-virtual-histological-index-vhi(ea6355cc-f60c-4a66-8705-0b89dd799d66).html