Taphonomy
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /tæˈfɒnəmi/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Taphonomy is a noun meaning The study of the fate of the remains of organisms after they die, especially the study of fossilization.
Meaning
The study of the fate of the remains of organisms after they die, especially the study of fossilization.
Example Sentences
Some cases may have an innocent explanation based in taphonomy, the processes by which bodies are preserved over long spans of time.
Whilst there is some credit in distinguishing between taphonomies for thick-shelled forms and thin-shelled forms in shallower facies, these forms occur in both phacopids and homalonotids.
These characteristics are also applicable in forensic taphonomy. In contrast to our approach here, Buikstra and Ubelaker place "premortem and perimortem fractures, wounds, and abrasions" (p. 106) in the chapter on paleopathology, thus separating perimortem trauma from taphonomy.
Word Forms
- taphonomies
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include taphology, taphonomist, taphologist, fossilology, tombology, taphophilia.
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.