Here today, gone tomorrow? integrated experimentation and geochemical modeling in studies of archaeological diagenetic change.

The factors which influence the survival or otherwise of archaeological materials in the burial environment must be understood to allow systematic interpretation of the archaeological record. Studies of postdepositional change, or diagenesis, are therefore essential. The dynamic nature of terrestrial burial environments and the complexity of aqueous fluid-mediated transformation mechanisms have hindered detailed diagenetic research to date. The novel use of integrated experimental and geochemical modeling strategies has the potential to make progress toward a quantified understanding of the diagenesis of inorganic and bioinorganic archaeological materials. We describe current work that is attempting to develop this approach.