Funded PhD: Non-Destructive Analytical Approaches to Skeletal Remains to Determine Commingling and Burial Provenance in Forensic and Archaeological Cases

Dr Danae Prokopiou, Assoc Prof Layla Renshaw, Dr H Fletcher

About the Project

In forensic death investigations and archaeological excavations, commingled and displaced human remains present significant challenges for the successful recovery and identification of the deceased. Commingling occurs when bones from multiple individuals are mixed, as in mass graves or shared burial plots. Burials may also be moved or disturbed, resulting in the loss of information about their original location and provenance. Such contexts are frequently encountered in postwar investigations and disaster victim identification. Non-destructive analytical approaches can facilitate the reassociation of bones from the same individual and the separation of distinct individuals, preserving skeletal integrity while providing critical information.

Currently, DNA analysis and stable isotope techniques are commonly used to reassociate commingled remains and trace their provenance. However, both approaches are destructive, costly, and often impractical. In many cases, destructive analysis is not permissible, desirable or financially viable. This may be for ethical reasons, to preserve ancient remains, to comply with cultural or spiritual beliefs, or to enable more robust and portable field-based techniques that do not require complex or sterile sample preparation. In addition, degraded remains may not yield sufficient genetic material, and sterile laboratory conditions may be unavailable in post-disaster or conflict settings. Consequently, robust, rapid, and non-destructive methods that require minimal sample preparation are urgently needed.

Promising non-destructive techniques include Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). These approaches can detect subtle differences in bone chemistry and microstructure without altering the tissue. When combined with chemometric analysis, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), these methods could enable reassociation of commingled remains and characterisation of burial origin.

This project will apply non-destructive methods, including handheld Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDX, and NIR, combined with chemometrics, to a unique skeletal and burial soil sample from a British urban post-medieval cemetery dating. The cemetery has been deconsecrated for redevelopment, necessitating the excavation of human remains and permitting osteological recording and non-destructive study, prior to their scheduled reburial. A large number of skeletons in this cemetery were interred in deep, multiple burials in proximity, closely mimicking the challenges encountered in mass graves, and making this cemetery sample ideal for the development and validation of methods to resolve commingling.

The primary aim of this study is to determine whether chemometric analysis of NIR, SEM-EDX, and Raman data via PCA and LDA can generate usable models or tools for archaeologists and forensic scientists to address the challenges of commingling, reassociation, and burial provenance. Specifically, the study will focus on the reassociation of skeletal elements to individual remains, the comparison of bone tissue to its burial soil and the identification of burial origin. Accurately attributing remains to specific burial locations could identify postmortem movement and deposition, offering insight into both historical and forensic contexts.

This project is novel in its exclusive focus on non-destructive reassociation techniques, with the potential for significant impact. Successful implementation of handheld Raman spectroscopy and chemometric models would enable field-based analysis without sterile laboratory conditions, making reassociation faster, more portable, and cost-effective than DNA analysis. These methods could transform the study of commingled remains in both forensic and archaeological investigations, enhancing our ability to reconstruct complex burial scenarios while preserving skeletal integrity.

Applications should be made via the Kingston University website (Research degrees | Kingston University London), making sure that you select March 2026 entry. You should make clear in your application the studentship project that you are applying for. Further information on what to include can be found here Research degrees | Kingston University London.

Funding Notes

These studentships provide home registration fees and a stipend at RCUK rate (without London weighting) for 3 years.

The studentships MUST start in the March 2026 cohort to receive financial support