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Thin Section Images of Bone Microstructure - Introduction
Andrew T. Chamberlain1 and Nathalie Peek2
- Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, West St, Sheffield, S1 4ET.
- Yeovil College, Mudford Road, Yeovil, Somerset.
Introduction
The purpose of this website is to present and describe an array of microscopic images depicting some of the variation in bone microstructure that occurs among vertebrate animal species. The microscopic morphology of bone varies between species, and within a single species microstructure also depends on the developmental stage and the physiological status of the organism. Thus bone microstructure can be used in osteoarchaeology and palaeontology for species identification, estimation of age at death, and in the investigation of diseases and nutritional deficiency. Furthermore, the microscopic architecture of bone plays a pivotal role in post-mortem diagenetic processes.
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