Day: June 25, 2024

Taphonomy, derived from the Greek “taphos” meaning “burial”, and “nomos” which translates to “law”, is a fundamental discipline for unraveling the mysteries surrounding the fossil deposits. Situated at the intersection of geology and biology, this discipline is devoted to the meticulous analysis of the processes governing fossilization and seeks to discern the causes behind the formation of fossil accumulations.

By examining bone assemblages from a taphonomic perspective, we can decipher a wide range of processes, from carnivore tooth marks to anthropic cut marks, as well as other signals left by biological or geological agents. The fractures present in bones also provide valuable information about their history, indicating when and how they were generated. It is through the interpretation of these data that we can reconstruct past events, understand the processes involved, and in some way, step back in time, akin to investigators at a crime scene.