Macroscopic examination, histomorphometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) are applied to the analysis of burned bones from the early Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Elsham in Lincolnshire, UK.These methods were undertaken to gain a greater understanding of pyre conditions from an archaeological context and the effects of burning on bone microstructure. Sixteen samples were employed for thin-section analysis while eight samples were used with FTIR. The results suggest that these methods correspond well with macroscopic examination, though anomalies did occur. The techniques employed in this paper have demonstrated that the temperatures reached on the funerary pyres at Elsham ranged from 600°C to over 900°C under oxidizing conditions.

In the past, experimental research into the histomorphological examination of burned human bone has led to the creation of a criterion for assessing burning intensity, which can be used to infer firing conditions in both archaeological and forensic contexts. Current methods visually compare the microscopic alterations in burned bone with modern bone samples fired at known temperatures and durations. Despite the benefits of this approach, it is hindered by the use of qualitative analysis, which is subject to the expertise of the examiner. This paper reviews previous histomorphological studies of burned bone and presents a new protocol for producing burned bone thin sections. It also introduces quantitative petrography as an alternative statistical method for categorising burning intensity. Four categories of burning intensity were calculated based on the quantified heatinduced changes identified in a pilot study examining burned porcine bone. These categories were consistent with those produced using more traditional qualitative methods, demonstrating that the results produced in this pilot study are reliable.

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The original version of the book was inadvertently published with incorrect citations in Chapters 2, 6, 18, 19, 23 and Backmatter. The erratum chapters and book have been updated with the changes.

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