Role in anthropology and paleontology thumb|Originally calcitic crinoid stem (in cross-section) diagenetically replaced by marcasite in a siderite concretion; Lower Carboniferous. The term diagenesis, literally meaning "across generation",Oxford English Dictionary. is extensively used in geology. However, this term has filtered into the field of anthropology, archaeology and paleontology to describe the changes and alterations that take place on skeletal (biological) material. Specifically, diagenesis "is the cumulative physical, chemical, and biological environment; these processes will modify an organic object's original chemical and/or structural properties and will govern its ultimate fate, in terms of preservation or destruction". In order to assess the potential impact of diagenesis on archaeological or fossil bones, many factors need to be assessed, beginning with elemental and mineralogical composition of bone and enveloping soil, as well as the local burial environment (geology, climatology, groundwater).
Role in anthropology and paleontology thumb|Originally calcitic crinoid stem (in cross-section) diagenetically replaced by marcasite in a siderite concretion; Lower Carboniferous The term diagenesis literally meaning "across generation"Oxford English Dictionary is extensively used in geology However this term has filtered into the field of anthropology archaeology and paleontology to describe the changes and alterations that take place on skeletal (biological) material Specifically diagenesis "is the cumulative physical chemical and biological environment; these processes will modify an organic object's original chemical and/or structural properties and will govern its ultimate fate in terms of preservation or destruction" In order to assess the potential impact of diagenesis on archaeological or fossil bones many factors need to be assessed beginning with elemental and mineralogical composition of bone and enveloping soil as well as the local burial environment (geology climatology groundwater)