Evaluating histological methods for assessing hair fibre degradation

Abstract

The hair shaft has increasing importance in bioarchaeology, since it is now possible to retrieve detailed biomolecular information on recent life history using individual fibres (e.g., on diet, drug use and DNA). Data on hair condition is an important cornerstone to ensuring that reliable information is obtained. The following study defines morphological features of degradative change in human terminal scalp hair using different microscopy techniques. Evidence of degradative change is translated into a ranked histology for assessing hair sample condition. The approach is applied to samples of cut modern scalp hair subjected to degradation under soil burial/simulated grave conditions.