Fading Star: Understanding accelerated decay of organic remains at Star Carr#
Kirsty High#
(University of York)#
The early Mesolithic site of Star Carr is acknowledged as one of the most important wetland sites in Northern Europe. Excavations in the 1940’s yielded spectacular amounts of incredibly well preserved wood, bone and antler artefacts, providing archaeologists with a wealth of evidence for life in the Mesolithic period.
However, recent fieldwork has uncovered alarming evidence suggesting that rapidly changing site conditions may be causing accelerated damage to organic remains. Antler recently uncovered was severely flattened and leathery, and what little bone was found was almost completely demineralised, leaving behind only a collagen matrix[1]. Field and labtesting of the sediments show that the archaeology lies in a zone where the fluctuating water table causes maximum impact, with a “sulfur-pump” mechanism hypothesised to be creating high acidity[2]. My PhD research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of decay of the organic archaeology and its relation to site factors such as underlying geology, hydrology and groundwater chemistry. This understanding is critical for the future management not only of the Star Carr site, but also other similar wetland sites that are being increasingly put at risk. One important route to understanding this decay is the adequate assessment and quantification of the state of preservation of the organic artefacts (primarily bone and wood). I’ve taken an interdisciplinary approach to this, and have employed a variety of analytical techniques to assess changes in both materials excavated from the site and modern experimental material. Some of these are commonly used in archaeological science, whilst some are novel approaches and include microscopy, spectroscopy, x-ray techniques and chromatography. Employing a suite of complementary techniques to develop a better understanding of organic degradation will enable us to answer critical questions: what is the rate of current decay? What can we expect to happen to the site in the coming years? Can anything be done to slow, or stop this decay?
[#1] Milner, N.; Conneller, C.; Elliott, B.; Koon, H.; Panter, I.; Penkman, K.; Taylor, B.; Taylor, M. Journal of Archaeological Science 2011, 38, 2818.
[#2] Boreham, S.; Conneller, C.; Milner, N.; Taylor, B.; Needham, A.; Boreham, J.; Rolfe, C. J. Journal of Archaeological Science 2011, 38, 2833.