Expert: Walter Hintz - 5/10/2007

Question
QUESTION: Could the bones of a child less than one year old eventually disintegrate leaving no trace? I'm researching the lack of child bodies in Iron Age cemetaries.
ANSWER: Hi Jean
The key word here is "eventually". Eventually all organic material is gone unless it is fossilized. However I would suggest that asking a pathologist would be a good idea.

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QUESTION: HI Thanks for the quick answer. Your site doesn't have a pathologist available and I can't find one. Can you tell me if the wet conditions in the British Isles would be more conducive to the disintegration process as opposed to fossilization? I was thinking that the nature of an infant's bones might lend itself to the disintegration process over 2,000 years.
Thanks
Jean

Answer
Hi again jean
 Organic materials will degrade faster in wet conditions.  Certainly people have dug up human bones older than 2000 years.  The cartilaginous portions of a baby skeleton would not last as long.
 For a pathologist just call the local hospital and ask for one.  Most of them would help you.