Blood from Bones: Protein Residues from Zooarchaeological Remains at Goodman Point Pueblo

A growing body of scientific literature highlights that protein residues can be extracted from prehistoric artifacts and bones and identified to varying levels of taxonomic specificity.  Little research has been done to assess which proteins and which peptides tend to preserve within particular archaeological contexts.  Protein residues were extracted from zooarchaeological bones identified to Leporidae (jackrabbit), Sciuridae (squirrel), and Meleagris gallopavo (turkey).  The bones are from Puebo sites in southwestern Colorado occupied from roughly AD 1000 to 1300.  Our results corroborate the propensity of protein residues to survive sufficiently well enough to be identified to taxon and tissues.  In some cases, even blood protein residues can be identified.  In addition, our results indicate that some peptides of collagen, which commonly preserves, exhibit substantial homology but others are comparatively taxon-specific and might have potential to be targeted in archaeological residue analysis.