Regarding the skull colorization issue: I am going to a "Search and Rescue" training class this Saturday and was emailed my study materials the other day. One of the subjects deals directly with "bone weathering" and colorization/bleaching of bones. I will copy/paste a portion of the information for you:
One question often raised is how human bones will appear in the landscape. Many expect bleached bones (white) that will stand out in the baseline environment. This is
often not the case in a search event.
Skeletonization is the removal of soft tissue from bone.Full skeletonization occurs when all soft tissue is removed from the bone. Partial skeletonization occurs when soft
tissue remains on the skeleton, and only portions of bone are visible. The process of skeletonization can occur quickly or slowly, depending on many variables.
Researchers note that when a body is buried at depths of more than 4 feet, complete skeletonization may take 2-3 years. In shallow graves (less than 12 inches), this process
takes between 6-12+ months. This is generally true for most regions of North America.
Behrensmeyer describes five stages of bone weathering. That is, the changes to bone over time due to environmental influence (sun, soil type, and weather conditions). In stage one, the bone is still greasy, and often has soft tissue and muscle or ligament attached. Within 6 months of most surface deposits of human remains, most of the soft tissue is gone. Much of the bone bleaching of the bone by the sun, surface cracking, and
other weathering processes (stages 2-5) take a much longer time to appear (months or years).
There are six recognized and progressive stages of change to bone as a result of weathering.
Stage 0: The bone surface is typically greasy, and may have skin or tissue connected. The bone surface has no sign of changes due to weathering, such as cracking or flaking.
Stage 1: The bone surface shows cracking. This is usually parallel to the fiber structure. Skin and tissue may or may not be present.
Stage 2: The bone is beginning to show flaking. This is often seen along areas of cracking, which often separate and flake before other areas.
Stage 3: The bone is showing patches of rough, homogenously weathered bone, resulting in a fibrous texture. Weathering does not penetrate deeper than 1.0-1.5 mm, and the bone fibers remain attached to each other.
Stage 4: The bone surface is coarsely fibrous and rough in texture, large and small splintering is observed, and may be loose enough to fall away from the bone when moved. Weathering has penetrated into the inner cavities.
Stage 5: Bone is falling apart in situ, with splinters laying around the whole, which is fragile and easily broken by moving.
right or wrong" LOL! I was wrong about something I believed LP said (he said no such thing and I swore up and down I heard him say it! but I was mistaken.) And others here have discovered the book was a sign.....I imagine none of us are 100% right!
).
