A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve, 1969. 2. (Szeged, 1969)

Kiszely, István: Derivatographic Research of Subfossile Bones

Thermogravimetrical changes of skeletons analyzed from the same cemetery give satisfactory results if we have identical or nearly identical soil. If the bones come from totally different soil in the same cemetery, the loss in weight as a consequence of calcination of the organic substance resisting to heat did not give the same results, these ones cannot be appraised without soil-correction and give merely informatory results. COMBUSTED BONE Ig • HALLST ATT С (SZENTLÖRINC) • U TENE С (BASAHAPC) Fig. 2. Derivatogramms of calcined bones from the different periods of the iron age. Derivatographic research of the calcinated bones going back to different periods of time has been made by the author. His results in this field are not final and fully elaborated, they have only an informatory character. Further research is required (actually in process) so much the more, because the way and „techniques" of cremation are important problems of both anthropology and archeology. The thermogravimetrical curve and the derivational thermoanalytical curve (Fig. 2.) give information about the degree of heat at which cremation had been done and about the fact if the body had been laid on a burning fire (glowing embers) or burned gradually. From this point of view a great difference has been found between the cremation dating from the Early Iron Age (Halstatt C) and that of the Late Iron Age (La Тепе С). In the first case the cremation was imperfect, in the second one it was perfect. (Fig. 2.) Besides, it is important to define the degree of heat used in cremation also from the point of view, how far the bone is suitable to further chemical analyses. Some examinations have been made by the author to eliminate faults. Concerning the granulation of the bones: it is optimal to grind the bone in a ball and tube mill to dust (fractions of 0,06 and smaller). In such a case the derivatogramm is rich details, the thermogravimetrical grades are explicit and nothing will be lost due to the fractioning of the bone. In case of granulated 220