Early diagenesis of elephant tusk in marine environment

Informative Potential of Multiscale Observations in Archaeological Biominerals Down to Nanoscale

“…Such multi-scale analytical approach combining different complementary methods was recently adapted to determine the preservation state of archaeological elephant ivories and bone. The investigation allowed characterizing both, the mineral and organic phase of ivory, with 2D and 3D structural information on the small samples at all length scales of the hierarchical tissue (Chadefaux and Reiche 2009;Large et al 2011;Müller and Reiche 2011;Reiche 2009aReiche and Chadefaux 2009;Reiche et al 2003Reiche et al , 2007Reiche et al , 2010Reiche et al , 2011aAlbéric et al 2014). …”

“…These processes are complex because they are multi-factorial, non-linear in time and operate in a heterogeneous way and at different structural levels (Hedges 2002;Budd et al 2000;Kohn et al 1999;Reiche et al 2002aReiche et al , 2003Dauphin and Williams 2004;Geigl 2002;O'Connor et al 2011;Godfrey et al 2002;Albéric et al 2014;Large et al 2011;Baud and Tochon-Danguy 1985;Jans et al 2004;Nielsen-March and Hedges 1999;Nielsen-Marsh et al 2007;Collins et al 2002).…”

F-content variation in mammoth ivory from Aurignacian contexts: Preservation, alteration, and implications for ivory-procurement strategies

“…The vast majority of such research has been conducted on bone, and sometimes dentine. With some exceptions little chemical research has been undertaken on processes of diagenetic alteration of elephant (Albéric et al, 2014;Wang et al, 2007) and mammoth (Edwards et al, 2005;Müller and Reiche, 2011;Sastri et al, 2013) ivory, which is a highly altered variation of dentine with specific chemical and structural characteristics. Non-destructive chemical analysis is a promising avenue of research in the study of ivory artefacts and is essential for determining "whether chemical indicators can be used as a source of information about diet, climate, genetics and dating or whether they record post-mortem transformation of original biominerals" (Guido et al, 2012: 180).…”

Combined Non‐invasive PIXE/PIGE Analyses of Mammoth Ivory from Aurignacian Archaeological Sites

“…Though some chemical analyses have been conducted on archaeological ivories,r elatively few have been conducted on ivory of such great antiquity. [4][5][6][7][8] Non-destructive proton-induced X-ray and gamma-ray emission (PIXE/ PIGE) analysis providing information on the elemental composition down to the trace level has the potential to reveal new insights relevant to the procurement, use,a nd exchange of ivory and ivory artifacts from the Aurignacian period. Thesamples in this study come from some of the most significant Aurignacian sites ( Figure 2) known for assemblages of art and adornment: Abri Castanet [9] and Grotte de la Verpillire I (France), [10] and the Hohle Fels Cave, [3] and the open-air sites of Breitenbach [11] and Lommersum [12] (Ger- Approaches to ivory procurement may have varied over time and space,e ven within the Aurignacian.…”