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Raman spectroscopic study of 3000‐year‐old human skeletal remains from a sambaqui, Santa Catarina, Brazil
Author(s) -
Edwards H. G. M.,
Farwell D. W.,
de Faria D. L. A.,
Monteiro A. M. F.,
Afonso M. C.,
De Blasis P.,
Eggers S.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of raman spectroscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.748
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1097-4555
pISSN - 0377-0486
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4555(200101)32:1<17::aid-jrs658>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - raman spectroscopy , materials science , chemistry , physics , optics
A Raman spectroscopic study of red‐pigmented human bones from a 3000‐year‐old sambaqui burial was undertaken for the first time. Visible (633 nm) and near‐infrared (1064 nm) excitation were used to characterize the pigment and its substrate; the red pigment is haematite, iron(III) oxide, which proved to be of a pure form and for which no previous heat treatment processing had been adopted. There is clear evidence in heavily pigmented areas of a ‘limewash’ layer which had been applied to the body of the deceased prior to treatment with ochre. Comparisons made with previous Raman studies of archaeological bone from a separate excavation indicate that mineralization of the present specimens is well advanced, with evidence of calcium carbonate incorporation into the hydroxyapatite phosphatic matrix. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.