Traces Of The Past: Unraveling The Secrets Of Archaeology Through Chemistry (Contemporary Issues in Museum Cultures (Paperback))

When British archaeologists discovered a Viking ship burial at Sutton Hoo, Sussex, in the late 1930s, they were surprised to find no signs of human remains; only through the chemical study of the acidic soil could signs of a body be found. The use of chemistry has enabled archaeologists to pinpoint the origins of ancient Egyptian monuments, discover some causes for the decline of the Roman empire, and date the remains of the earliest protohominids. In Traces of the Past, chemist Lambert introduces readers to this happy alliance of science and history.