Assessing body position through experimental cremation: A pilot study using colorimetry and FTIR-ATR analyses

by Paula Becerra Fuello, Javier Lescure, Aaron Lackinger, María Sedeño Ráez, Jesús Gámiz Caro, Gonzalo Aranda Jiménez

This pilot study evaluates the feasibility and limitations of a multi-proxy approach for identifying potential indicators of horizontal positioning in cremated heads from archaeological, and to a lesser extent, forensic contexts. Two outdoor experimental cremations using fleshed and dry pig crania were conducted to evaluate the influence of pre-burning condition, vertical placement within the pyre and pyre dynamics on the expression of lateralised burning patterns. Combining macroscopic observations, fragmentation, colorimetric and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflectance (FTIR-ATR) mode, our preliminary observations suggest that lateralised differences in thermal exposure may be detectable under certain conditions. Significant differences (p-value