Skeletal weathering in central Florida: A preliminary approach for developing a scoring protocol to estimate time since death

Regardless of region, skeletal remains deposited in subaerial contexts are subjected to a progression of taphonomic alterations. However, there are limited postmortem interval (PMI) standards developed, particularly in environments where skeletonization can occur quickly. The research purpose was to evaluate the timing and progression of early weathering alterations in two microenvironments (shaded and open) using pig carcasses (Sus scrofa) in the subtropical humid environment of central Florida. Over nine months, sun bleaching was assessed using Munsell® Soil Color Charts (2009) and scored based on percentage of the bone sun bleached, while bone weathering was further evaluated using Behrensmeyer's (1978) stages. Results indicate that microenvironment has a significant influence, with the onset and progression of sun bleaching and Behrensmeyer's (1978) Stages 2 and 3 occurring earlier in the open microenvironment. Sun bleaching stages and Behrensmeyer's (1978) weathering stages can be utilized in conjunction for developing regionally specific PMI taphonomic models for different microenvironments.