On the Fragility of Burnt Osteological Fragments: Technical Assessment of Potential Loss of Material

The analysis of burnt osteological fragments from archaeological and forensic contexts is a challenging area of research due to the fragmentary and often incomplete nature of these remains. Conservation and preservation are ongoing issues, since the thermally altered bones could exhibit a different degree of fragility in comparison to those that have not undergone such a process. The aim of the research was twofold: first, to demonstrate the level of fragility of burnt remains, such that even meticulous handling results in a loss of material; and second, to quantify this potential loss and explore methods to measure it. For this study, 10 burnt bone fragments, recovered from a necropolis located in the south‐west of Milan, were 3D scanned and weighed, and their dimensions were measured at five time intervals. Statistical analyses showed significant variation over time and a decreasing trend in all measurements taken with traditional tools, evidencing loss of material over time. This exploratory study also serves as a cautionary note regarding the use of 3D surface scanner for the digitization of cremated remains, as statistical analyses indicate that the digitally calculated volume did not show significant variation over time, and raw data revealed nonlinear trends.