Refining Bone Consolidator Identification in Historical and Modern Museum Contexts

Author

• Natalie M. Eves, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Major

Anthropology

Faculty Advisor

Chris, Stantis

Abstract

The use of consolidants, such as polymers and adhesives, has historically been common in archaeology and museum curation for the preservation and reconstruction of skeletal remains. However, many of these materials were applied without detailed documentation, creating challenges for collections management and compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Consolidants may also interfere with scientific analyses by altering the elemental and molecular composition of bone. Despite these concerns, there is currently no standardized method for identifying consolidants applied to skeletal remains. This study evaluates whether Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and visual identification testing can successfully distinguish between treated and untreated bone samples and identify specific consolidant types. A modern juvenile pig (Sus scrofa) tibia was used as a proxy for human bone and treated with six consolidants commonly used in museum and archaeological contexts: cyanoacrylate (CA), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), beeswax, Paraloid B-67, Paraloid B-72, and Paraloid B-76. Samples were analyzed using LIBS and ATR-FTIR, while a visual identification test was conducted with participants experienced in osteology and archaeology. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate spectral variation within the LIBS and FTIR datasets. The results indicate that FTIR was more effective than LIBS in differentiating consolidant groups and untreated bone samples. LIBS showed substantial overlap between groups, while visual identification testing demonstrated low overall accuracy. These findings support the use of multi-method analytical approaches for improving consolidant identification and promoting more transparent and ethical documentation practices in museum and archaeological collections.