TITLE:
Marine Micro-Remains on Holy Maria-Magdalena’s Hair, Studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Elemental Analysis
AUTHORS:
Gérard Lucotte, Eglantine D’Hérissart, Thierry Thomasset
KEYWORDS:
Maria-Magdalena’s Hair, Marine Mineral Particles, Fragments of Algae, Diatoms, Coccoliths and Tintinnides, Micro-Debris of Crustaceans, SEM-EDX
JOURNAL NAME:
Archaeological Discovery,
Vol.7 No.3,
June
4,
2019
ABSTRACT: As a new contribution to the scientific knowledge of Holy Maria-Magdalena’s remains, we have studied by SEM-EDX some mineral particles and micro-organism debris adhering to her hair. We found on it mineral particles of gypsum, aragonite and salt, algae fragments, microorganism as diatoms, coccoliths and tintinnides, and micro-debris of Crustaceans. Such marine micro-remains indicate a past close contact of the hair with sea water.