Identifying Archaeological Bone and Antler and Methods to Soften Them Using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy: Test Studies

The presented dataset contains raw FTIR spectral data of both reference and archaeological bone and antler samples. These data were collected for preliminary studies on the potential application of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for distinguishing artefacts made from the bone and antler of European cervids (Cervidae). The research was based on contemporary (reference) samples from red deer, roe deer, moose, and reindeer, as well as archaeological material from the Upper Paleolithic to modern times, from Poland and Lithuania. The study also considered the potential impact of bone-softening methods on FTIR results by analyzing experimental samples softened by soaking in water, sour milk, sorrel, urine, and lye. Although the study is preliminary and requires further verification, we hypothesize that it is possible to identify contemporary and archaeological bone and antler (including softened material) using FTIR; the method may also be used to identify certain bone-softening techniques.