The Key to Avoiding Interference from Consolidants in Archaeological Bone

Archaeology is not just the study of ancient artifacts, such as pottery, paintings, and trinkets. Archaeology also studies the biological record by analyzing DNA samples from deceased persons. The reason why archaeologists study this is because artifacts, while they are valuable in shedding light on the customs, practices, and traditions of the ancient past, do not tell the complete picture of what life was like in ancient cultures.

A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science explored the applicability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy in studying archaeological bone.^1,2 The study’s lead author, Christina Ryder, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Texas A&M University, sat down with Spectroscopy to talk about her team’s findings, and what they mean for bioarchaeology moving forward.

What are the benefits of studying archaeological bone?

There are several benefits is studying archaeological bone. For example:

• Bones preserve evidence of diet and nutrition, which can reveal information about the agricultural practices, food trade, and environmental conditions that existed in the past.
• Bones inform us about health and disease. For example, skeletal markers can show signs of malnutrition, trauma, infection, and chronic conditions, allowing scientists to understand how ancient populations lived, suffered, and adapted.
• Bones reveal demography and social structure. By analyzing age-at-death, sex, and population patterns, archaeologists can infer life expectancy, migration, and even social inequalities within communities.
• Bones can indicate some cultural and ritual practices. Burial positions, modifications (like cranial shaping), and grave goods associated with skeletons provide insight into ancient belief systems.
• Bones can help reveal genetic relationships, linking the present to the past. In particular, advances in biomolecular techniques, such as ancient DNA and proteomics, are useful on this front.

The first part of our conversation with Ryder focused on why NIR spectroscopy is the preferred technique of choice in archaeology compared to mid-infrared (MIR) and Raman techniques because of its penetration depth. The second part of our conversation concentrated on the partial least squares regression (PLSR) and random forest (RF) models used in the study. In the third part of our interview with Ryder, she explains why the 2030–2060 nm spectral region is particularly strong for collagen-related spectral features in archaeological bone.

References

1. Ryder, C.; Celis, G.; Devièse, T. et al. Refining Near-infrared Spectroscopy for Collagen Quantification: A New Predictive Model for Archaeological Bone. J. Arch. Sci. 2026, 185, 106448. DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106448
2. Wetzel, W.; Spectroscopy Staff. Collagen Preservation in Archaeological Bone Using NIR Spectroscopy. Spectroscopy. Available at: https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/collagen-preservation-in-archaeological-bone-using-nir-spectroscopy (accessed 2026-03-27).