Il suolo come contenitore di evidenze: le Geoscienze applicate allo studio delle sepolture della cripta della Ca'Granda

Soil is a dynamic matrix which can rapidly respond to disturbance events, among which death and deposition of an organism. This fact turns the biogeochemical analysis of pedological samples into a valuable tool for the study and comprehension of decomposition processes. The aim of this research is to detect the evidence of material exchange between the bone tissue, from three skeletal remains of the crypt, and the pedosedimentary matrix in which they were immersed. The specimens were analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which pointed out the presence of both mineral elements penetrated through the bone surface, and substances associated with the decomposition inside the soil matrix. These results show how intense the interaction between organisms (even if dead) and the environment in which they are located is and also suggest future applications of Geosciences in this specific field.