Identifying the individuals who make up burned and commingled skeletal assemblages represents a labour-intensive challenge. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a potential tool for reconciling fragmented and mixed individuals using the unique elemental content of bone. While the method’s usefulness has been demonstrated with unburned bone, further work is needed to identify if the elemental signatures embedded in bone remain consistent enough, regardless of exposure temperature, to allow the discrimination of burned individuals. We test whether pXRF can discriminate between individuals with variable degrees of burning and further, whether the elemental profiles reliably reflect burning temperatures. Tibiae and femora from five fresh lambs (Ovis aries) were sectioned and experimentally burned for 30 min at 200 °C, 400 °C, 600 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C. Elemental profiles from the unburned and burned fragments were analysed using discriminant function analysis. Whether burned, unburned or variably exposed to heat, fragments from the five individuals were successfully distinguished using aggregate elements (more than 80% of fragments correctly classified). The elemental profiles did vary by degree of burning allowing the distinction of fragments burned at < 200 °C, 400 °C, 600–800 °C and 900 °C (> 90% correctly classified). Collectively, these results show the promise of pXRF in the analysis of burned and commingled assemblages if the elements used are carefully considered and aggregated. However, further work considering diagenetic effects needs to be undertaken.

确定构成烧伤和混合骨骼组合的个体是一项劳动密集型挑战。便携式 X 射线荧光 (pXRF) 是一种潜在的工具，可利用骨骼的独特元素含量来协调碎片化和混合个体。虽然该方法的实用性已在未烧伤的骨骼中得到证明，但仍需要进一步的工作来确定嵌入骨骼中的元素特征是否保持足够的一致性，无论暴露温度如何，以允许区分烧伤的个体。我们测试 pXRF 是否可以区分不同程度燃烧的个体，以及元素分布是否可靠地反映燃烧温度。五只新鲜羔羊的胫骨和股骨（白羊座）) 被切片并在 200 °C、400 °C、600 °C、800 °C 和 900 °C 下实验性燃烧 30 分钟。未燃烧和燃烧碎片的元素分布使用判别函数分析进行分析。无论是燃烧的、未燃烧的还是不同程度的受热，来自五个个体的碎片都可以使用聚合元素成功区分（超过 80% 的碎片正确分类）。元素分布确实因燃烧程度而异，因此可以区分在 < 200 °C、400 °C、600–800 °C 和 900 °C 下燃烧的碎片（> 90% 正确分类）。总的来说，如果仔细考虑和汇总使用的元素，这些结果表明 pXRF 在分析燃烧和混合组合中的前景。然而，需要开展进一步考虑成岩作用的工作。