Question

You are an anthropologist analyzing bone remains from the grave of an ancient person. Within one of the bones, you find an unusually high concentration of collagen. What does this suggest about the ancient person?

1) The person broke a bone and then passed away before it was fully healed
2) The person broke a bone and then passed away a few hours later
3) The person broke a bone at a very young age, but it fully healed
4) The person broke a bone as an elderly adult, but it fully healed

Answer 1

An unusually high concentration of collagen in a bone suggests that the bone had a fracture and fully healed.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an anthropologist finds an unusually high concentration of collagen within a bone, it suggests that the bone had a fracture and it fully healed. Collagen is a protein that is important for bone strength and flexibility, and when a bone is fractured, collagen is produced by the body to repair and strengthen the bone. So, finding a high concentration of collagen indicates that the bone went through a fracture and successfully healed