Protocolos para la recogida de muestras en restos bioantropológicos. El caso del Tolmo de Minateda

  1. Calderón Ordóñez, Alejandra
  2. Trujillo Mederos, Aioze
  3. Ramos Pérez, Guacimara
  4. Alvarez Rodríguez, Nuria
Journal:
Estrat Crític: Revista d'Arqueologia

ISSN: 1887-8687

Year of publication: 2011

Issue Title: Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica, JIA (3as : 5-7 de mayo 2010 : UAB)

Issue: 5

Pages: 430-443

Type: Article

More publications in: Estrat Crític: Revista d'Arqueologia

Abstract

One of the most important achievements of anthropology as a scientific discipline has been its ability to unify criteria and protocols to study anthropological remains, specially in the most basic and general aspects (Ferembach et al. ,1979; Buikstra y Ubelaker,1994; Campillo, 2001 among others). Taking into account the increasing importance of laboratory analysis, such as chemical, genetical, isotopic etc. , in the study of anthropological remains, we consider necessary to go for an standardization in the collection of the samples that are going to be used for this kind of procedures. This is necessary as a previous step of validation for further results. Therefore we propose a set of basic protocols that allow the researchers a systematization and an adequate sample collection. This will help the archaeologists in their study of anthropological materials. The purpose of these protocols is the creation of a sample’s bank from different archaeological sites. Even though not all research teams have the means to make all kinds of analysis, the right collection of the sample implies no difficulty and it could allow these analysis to be made in the future, increasing the information obtained from the study of human remains. In this paper we will use, as an example, the protocol followed in the sample collection from the material from “El Tolmo de Minateda”, Albacete, that was studied in the Prehistorian Lab of the Universidad de La Laguna. Although in this case the sample collection was made exclusively inside the lab, the ideal scenario would be for the process to be started in the field, to diminish the risk of contamination. Our proposal pretends to be another tool for archaeologists in their way towards the reconstruction of the social process and its impact in human beings, in both biological and cultural aspects.