Investigating the Taphonomy of Ostrich Eggshells from the Late Quaternary Northern Maharashtra, India, Using Integrated Archaeometric Techniques

Siddhi Bansod

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India; siddhibansod@gmail.com

Ostrich eggshells (OES), often recovered from Late Pleistocene contexts in South Asia, represent a durable biomineral archive that can provide valuable insights into both environmental conditions and human–animal interactions. Thus, understanding the taphonomic processes that affect their preservation is essential for distinguishing natural depositional pathways from anthropogenic modifications and for interpreting their archaeological significance. However, these taphonomic pathways affecting the remains in tropical and subtropical environments remain poorly understood. This study investigates the microstructural characteristics and surface alterations of OES fragments collected from surface assemblages during field investigations in Northern Maharashtra, India, using archaeometric techniques. Preliminary analyses employ stereomicroscopy to document macroscopic surface modifications and morphological variability. High-resolution imaging and compositional characterization are further carried out using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FE-SEM-EDX) to examine the eggshell microstructure, pore morphology, and elemental composition. In addition, the potential of synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography (SR-µCT) is explored as a non-destructive method for visualizing internal microstructural features and assessing diagenetic alteration within eggshell matrices. By integrating microscopic, compositional, and three-dimensional imaging approaches, this research aims to develop a methodological framework for evaluating the taphonomy of ostrich eggshell assemblages in South Asian archaeological contexts. The study contributes to the growing application of archaeometric techniques in the Indo-Pacific region and highlights the potential of OES as a valuable proxy for understanding past environments and site formation processes.