Remains To Be Seen

Preservation of Human Remains

In Peat Bogs
 And Our Point Is…?
• Provide a general overview of the chemistry
of putrefaction
• What naturally occurring factors can
mitigate or alter this chemistry to preserve
human remains?
• How can these processes be identified and
analyzed?
 Now That You’re Dead,
What Does Your Future Hold?
Stage Description
The cadaver appears fresh externally but is decomposing
I nitial Decay internally due to the activities of bacteria, protozoal, and
nematodes present in the animal before death
The cadaver is swollen by gas produces internally,
Putrefaction
accompanied by odor of decaying flesh
Black Flesh of creamy consistence with exposed parts black. Body
putrefaction collapses as gases escapes. Odor of decay very strong
Butyric Cadaver drying out. Some flesh remains at first, and cheesy
fermentation odor develops. Ventral surface mouldy from fermentation
Dry decay Cadaver almost dry; slow rate of decay
 What’s on the Inside Counts
• Lactic acid cannot break down in muscles
NH2

– ATP vs. glycogen N

N
O O O
–Lowered pH N N
O O P O P O P O
O O O

HO OH

–Fusion of actin and myosin leads to

rigor mortis
•Escherishia coli et al. flourish in the
intestines
 Reaction Summary
• Anaerobic Metabolism
NH2
CH2OH N
N

OH
O
+8 O O
N N
O O P O P O + 6 H+ + 8Pi + O2
OH OH
O O
OH
glucose HO OH ADP
NH2

O N
N
O O O O
O +8 N N
O O P O P O P O + 10 H2O
CH3 O O O

HO OH
pyruvate ATP
Peat Bog
 Peat and Re-Peat
Physical and Chemical Properties
• Little drainage
– Soil present becomes waterlogged and clogged
with decaying foliage
• Produces more vegetation than decomposes
– Plant accumulation prevents oxygen from
reaching lower levels
 Peat and Re-Peat
Physical and Chemical Properties
• Sphagnum moss
– Extracts cations from water in the soil
• Primarily removes calcium and magnesium

– Releases hydronium
• Increasingly acidic environment
 Mitigation of Decomposition
Changing Chemistry
• Anaerobic/Antibiotic
– Prevents bacteria from growing
• Acidic (pH~4)
– Preserves skin, hair, and fingernails
• Extremely cold
– Arrests decay
 Archaeometry in Action
Applications and Analysis in Archaeology
 Styling and Profiling
• Keeping Up Appearances
– Fox fur armband
– Well-manicured nails and uncallused hands
– Lack of previous injury
– Trimmed beard and mustache
• How do we know?
– Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
 The Last Supper
• Contents
– Sphagnum moss spores
– Crushed wheat
– Bran
– Barley grains
– Mistletoe pollen
• How do we know?
– Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) Spectroscopy
 veni vidi nates calce concidi
• Why these injuries?

• Why that meal?

• Why this man?

 At Rest, At Last
• Means to An End
– Freeze-drying
– Sublimation
• Practice Makes Perfect
– Pigskin
• Results
– Less than 5%
shrinkage
– Remained pliant