Preparation of Pleistocene human bones with an ultrasonic scaler: the case of mandible ATD6-112 from Atapuerca (Spain)

Abstract

The preparation of recently recovered fossil bones often consists of removing sediment by means of mechanical cleaning. A variety of tools are commonly employed in this process (hammers and chisels, air abrasion devices, pneumatic engraving pens, etc). Another tool, however, has received less attention in the literature: the ultrasonic scaler. An ultrasonic scaler is an ultrasonic device used by dentists to remove hard calculus deposits and stains from the teeth. In this article, we describe the preparation of the human mandible ATD6-112 from the Pleistocene site of Gran Dolina (Atapuerca, Spain) with an ultrasonic scaler. This article aims to describe the advantages and drawbacks of this tool for use in some cleaning processes.