Conservation Recommendations for Human Skeletal Remains Excavated from Desert Oases, Cave Shelters, and Permafrost, in China and Mongolia

Summary

Tomb excavations have been documented in East Asia for over 100 years, however the focus has been on artifact collection. The systematic excavation and collection of human skeletal remains is new to this region. This study will outline three cases where there was a demonstrated need for the implementation of conservation techniques. The first case included several naturally mummified skulls from Xinjiang, Province, China. A graduate student had decided to wash the skulls to remove skin and hair. A month later white crystals were seen growing out of the skulls. The second case involved four naturally mummified cave burials from southwestern Mongolia. Once removed from the dry environment, they began to decompose again. The last case was excavated from permafrost in northern Mongolia. After the tombs were opened, it began to rain inside from the melting ice. The skeletons were bagged in plastic and stored in cardboard boxes for a year before the author examined them. When examined all of the bones were coated in white mold. This study will give recommendations for the treatment and storage in these particular cases.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Curating the Past: The Practice and Ethics of Skeletal Conservation

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16754