Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Empirical studies of taphonomic processes are of critical importance to skeletal biology,
yet research about the postmortem processes that affect human remains is in many ways
in its infancy. As the field grows, it is moving away from assumed taphonomic universals
to incorporate an understanding of the broad ranges of variation across microenvironments,
and to encompass input from interdisciplinary collaboration. Recent advances in biomolec-
ular taphonomy and
DNA
,
mass spectrographic analysis
of the products of decomposition,
and the taphonomic analysis of soil and water environments are all areas that potentially
enrich skeletal biology research (
Sorg et al., 2012
). In addition, continued research about taph-
onomic signatures expands our ability to interpret remains with undocumented provenience
or undocumented postmortem histories. Whether taphonomic research designs are natural-
istic or experimental, they must incorporate an understanding of the skeletal remains within
their environmental context, which frequently calls for interdisciplinary input and an ecolog-
ical perspective. This three-part taphonomic perspective can inform the development of
a new era of research that adds clarity and depth to our understanding of skeletal biology.
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