cavesbone

Cavesbone is a term used in geology and paleontology to describe fossilized bone fragments that are preserved within cave interiors. It refers to bone material that has become incorporated into cave sediments or speleothems and has undergone diagenetic mineralization, resulting in dense, bone-like fragments that may resemble other cave-made minerals.

Most cavesbone remains originate from animal or human bone fragments introduced into caves through incidental deposition, predation remnants, or controlled disposal. In the cave, percolating water rich in calcium carbonate and phosphate can replace the original organic matrix with minerals such as hydroxyapatite, calcite, or fluorapatite, producing a durable, mineralized fragment. The process can preserve microscopic bone structure or obliterate it, depending on conditions.

Characteristically, cavesbone fragments are irregular in shape, range in size from small chips to larger splinters, and display pale to brown hues. They are commonly found within sediment layers, cave floors, or embedded in speleothem formations like stalactites or stalagmites near fossil-rich zones. They are distinguished from contemporaneous slag or mineral nodules by microstructural features and occasionally by residual organic matter.

Cavesbone provides information about past cave fauna and local environments. Dating is possible when collagen is preserved for radiocarbon analysis, or by uranium-series dating of associated carbonate, enamel or tooth dentin, with cave diagenesis needing careful evaluation to avoid age bias.

Cavesbone is a descriptive, not formal taxonomic term, used primarily in field notes, museum catalogs, and speculative literature to refer to bone-derived fragments within caves. It is not a taxon and has no universal diagnostic criteria.

Related topics include paleontology, speleology, fossil bones, diagenesis, radiocarbon dating, and uranium-series dating.