Taphonomic mineralisations with a view to environment and timeline information

This paper was presented at the YRA Workshop 2026 in Reykjavík.

Vivianite, a taphonomic mineralisation known for its striking blue colouration, is the focus of this study. This iron phosphate mineral forms on decomposing organic matter and has been observed on both forensic and archaeological bone. Taphonomic mineralisations represent micro-environments that develop during the post-burial transition from deposition to either fossilisation or destruction.
These mineralisations are often treated as hindrances as they can obscure osteological features; however, they contain nuanced environmental and temporal information. Determining burial location of remains is vital to forensic work and archaeological environments can be better understood from such mineralisations. While vivianite is associated with specific formation conditions, inconsistencies and unknowns remain, limiting its practical application. Much existing knowledge is derived from case studies with poorly constrained parameters.
To address this, porcine bone was buried in 14 controlled laboratory soil environments designed to test variables influencing vivianite formation, including iron availability, tissue type, hydrology, soil composition, and burial duration (up to 12 months). The results revealed markedly different taphonomic mineralisation patterns, demonstrating that subtle environmental variations can be inferred from mineralogical outcomes. These findings highlight the potential of vivianite as a forensic and archaeological indicator, supporting its development as a practical tool for reconstructing burial environments.

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