PRELIMINARY-RESULTS IN DATING HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS BY RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY

The Fourier transform Raman vibrational spectra of five ancient molar teeth (burial periods ranging from 150 to about 6000 years ago) were a nalysed in comparison with a modern deciduous canine of an infant, The observed Raman bands were assigned to inorganic (carbonato-apatite) a nd organic (proteinaceous) components. The spectroscopic measurements show that only in the case of enamel (external surface) do the bands d ue to the organic component decrease in intensity in relation to the d uration of burial, while the intensities of the bands due to the inorg anic component remain constant in all the samples, ancient and modern, The I-2941/I-960 intensity ratio of the stretching mode nu(2)CH(2) of the organic component and nu(1)(PO4)(3-) of the inorganic component w as chosen as a spectroscopic parameter to be correlated with the buria l period of the teeth, A gradual decrease in the curve of I-2941/I-960 vs, tooth age was observed in the case of enamel but not for the dent ine; this feature is related to the peculiar structure of the enamel. (C) 1997 by John Whey & Sons, Ltd.