Wet degradation of keratin proteins: linking amino acid, elemental and isotopic composition

Abstract

Diagenesis in experimentally soil-buried wool textiles was consistent with microbiological, non-protein-selective activity, in contrast to highly AA-selective hydrolytic behaviour under laboratory wet conditions. Changes in δ(2)H and δ(18)O values were correlated with degree of AA change, but the δ(13)C and δ(15)N values were not. The results contribute to a baseline for interpreting analytical data from archaeological hair samples preserved by burial in wet environments.