Chapter 3 - Direct Digital Radiographic Imaging of Archaeological Skeletal Assemblages: An Advantageous Technique and the Use of the Images as a Research Resource

Abstract

Radiographic analysis of archaeological skeletal remains has often been limited due to constraints including access to equipment, processing of wet film, and financial costs. Direct digital radiography is a radiographic method providing a rapid and relatively inexpensive means for visualizing and analyzing the internal structure of skeletal elements. Nondestructive, mobile, and compatible with multiple formats, it provides a valuable additional level of pathology data for the interpretation of archaeological skeletal assemblages. Its advantages have been demonstrated in research on skeletal remains from the Museum of London, St Bride’s Church, and Worcester Royal Infirmary. This paper highlights the importance of collaboration with radiologists and technical specialists, utilizing established clinical standards frameworks (eg, Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine and Picture Archiving and Communication System), providing a means to address the curatorial issue of long-term digital curation of the images, and the challenges faced in sharing and maintaining digital data to support researchers.