| Abstract: |
Section I, Survival and decay, is introduced by the editors: 'Flesh, bones, dust and society'. P H Bethell & M O H Carver (10-21) expound the 'Detection and enhancement of decayed inhumations at Sutton Hoo' while D Brothwell (22-6) has studied 'Decay and disorder in the York Jewbury skeletons'. A Boddington (27-42) writes on 'Chaos, disturbance and decay in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery' (Raunds), while Janet Henderson (43-54) considers 'Factors determining the state of preservation of human remains'. 'The relative survival of the human skeleton: implications for palaeopathology' is T Waldron's topic (55-64), while A K Mant (65-78) describes 'Knowledge acquired from post-war exhumations'. Section II is on Analytical approaches to decay. Julian Henderson, R C Janaway & J R Richards (81-100) treat 'Cremation slag: a substance found in funerary urns'. 'A new method of estimating age at death from fragmentary and weathered bone' is offered by C Samson & K Branigan (191-8), while A N Garland (109-26) has made 'A histological study of archaeological bone decomposition'. R C Janaway (127-48) examines 'The preservation of organic materials in association with metal artefacts deposited in inhumation graves' and T Waldron considers (149-59) 'The potential of analysis of chemical constituents of bone'. In Section III, Approaches to reconstruction, K Manchester (163-79) sets out 'Skeletal evidence for health and disease', A Boddington (180-97) contributes 'From bones to population: the problem of numbers', and R Chapman (198-213) offers 'Mortuary practices: society, theory building and archaeology'. Finally, in Section IV, Archaeology and forensic science, A Stirland (217-23) assesses 'The contribution that human skeletal biology may make to forensic science' and W M Bass (224-39) writes on 'Forensic anthropology: the American experience'. |
