T02_P14

An Approach to Dating Poorly Preserved Bones

Eugenia M¹,  Regev L¹, Boaretto E¹

¹Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

When analyzing bones found in arid regions such as Near East for radiocarbon dating, we are very often faced with low insoluble collagen contents (<1%) or  the absence of insoluble collagen. We therefore try to find alternative solutions. We tested the suitability of dating the acid soluble fraction (ASF) recovered during the standard procedure of hydroxyapatite demineralization. This fraction is  normally  discarded during the extraction of collagen. For such samples, we propose a tailored approach that involves the separation of  biological materials present in the ASF. This includes reassembled  collagen and non-collagenous protein (NCP). Based on recent studies in the field of proteomic analysis, this fraction (NCP) is rich in biomolecular material. The problem of using ASF for radiocarbon dating, lies in the difficulty of removing exogenous carbon from the mixed material. In this study, we attempt to characterize the ASF from fossil bones, followed by isolation and dating of BGP (bone Gla protein) from the NCP.