# Anyone know about decomposition of bones in fresh water?



## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

Edit: Dammit, I said a year instead of a hundred years. This is meant to be in the 1920s and the bones are discovered now.

I have a scene where I want human bones found at the bottom of a well, with the skeleton having been there almost a year *hundred years*. There will be water at the bottom of the well, and maybe mud?

Also, would any type of of metal bucket have lasted that long (almost 100 years) at the bottom of the well (and the chain)?

Thanks for any clues!


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## J.A. Sutherland (Apr 1, 2014)

It depends a lot on the specifics -- fully submerged in cold water with with little or no lifeforms, there'd probably still be flesh after a year. Critters? There'd definitely be bones after a year, regardless. The bucket depends on the type of metal and also whether it was submerged.


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## DanaG (Feb 13, 2011)

This is one of those questions where you follow up by adding: "Um, I'm asking for a friend..."


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## sabot03196 (Sep 14, 2014)

Does the well have to have water in it? Ground water can come and go due to a number of conditions either natural or man made.

There could also be a lack of Oxygen in the water (if deep enough), which would slow down oxidation of any metal. Though this works best with wood.

As for bodies in water. The fat in the body reacts first creating a sort of soap which aides in the sloughing off of muscle and tissue. Swelling occurs also which splits the skin and allows further reactions with the remaining tissue to take place. A thorough killer will have pierced the stomach and intestine to allow the gas from the decomposing material in the gut to escape or the corpse will bloat and float.

Bones in salt water will dissolve over time. In fresh water they should stay relatively intact. At the bottom of a well, they'd maintain their grouping.


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## 75845 (Jan 1, 1970)

I don't know if there was any water in this Norwich well, but these victims of an anti-Semitic attack survived as skeletons for 800 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13855238


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Can depend on the temp of the water/well.  A well in Houston where the ground water is going to be warmer, muddier and have different sediment will decay differently than one in New York that freezes every year.  I'm sure you'd still have some bones if it wasn't years and year.  The bucket/chain...Houston/Texas has very humid conditions so the best of objects would be caked and rusted with mud and whatnot.  Other places...who knows.


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## Steve Margolis (Mar 31, 2015)

ANSWER: Anyone know about decomposition of bones in fresh water?

QUESTION: Things not to say on Match. com


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## WDR (Jan 8, 2014)

Bones in fresh water can last for years. The pH of the water will really determine how long those bones will last. In limestone caves, researchers have found bones that have been there for tens of thousands of years. If the water is acidic, that could dissolve the bones over time.

With no one around to draw it out, the water in an abandoned well would be stagnant. So any decay would likely come to a stop. As pointed out above, not only would the bones be intact, there would probably be flesh as well. It would also be a horrific, gelatinous, stinking mess. (I would feel very sorry for whoever had to recover the remains!)

If the well is dry, then decay should go fairly promptly and the bones should be left reasonably clean. Keep in mind, the smell might attract small predators such as (well, in the US) raccoons, fisher cats, rodents, and insects-animals that can easily climb in and out of the well. The larger fauna might make away with some of the bones, particularly the smaller and lighter bones.

Some wells can go wet and dry on a seasonal basis when the water table goes up and down. This would leave the bones. The flesh would decay and become part of the mud.

In the US, there are a number of universities with "body farms" where human decomposition is researched. The oldest is at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. They will likely have the information you are looking for. And yes, authors contact them with macabre questions. Information can be found here: http://web.utk.edu/~fac/faq.html


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

Thanks SO much! Off to take kiddies to school, but will come back to read your answers in detail in a little while


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

J.A. Sutherland said:


> It depends a lot on the specifics -- fully submerged in cold water with with little or no lifeforms, there'd probably still be flesh after a year. Critters? There'd definitely be bones after a year, regardless. The bucket depends on the type of metal and also whether it was submerged.


I meant to say a hundred years (Duh!). The metal would be submerged.



DanaG said:


> This is one of those questions where you follow up by adding: "Um, I'm asking for a friend..."


Ah, yes, yes, this is for a friend. Of course. _Cough._



carinasanfey said:


> Right, I think it's time to start worrying about A.A.


 



sabot03196 said:


> Does the well have to have water in it? Ground water can come and go due to a number of conditions either natural or man made.
> 
> There could also be a lack of Oxygen in the water (if deep enough), which would slow down oxidation of any metal. Though this works best with wood.
> 
> ...


Yes I found a lot of about dissolving bones in seawater when I researched, but most stuff was about flesh decomposition. That's cool about them retaining their grouping - I didn't think they would - although Marcia's link is showing that they can. Still researching the metal bucket thing!



Mercia McMahon said:


> I don't know if there was any water in this Norwich well, but these victims of an anti-Semitic attack survived as skeletons for 800 years.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13855238


How very sad and awful. But thank you - that is a fantastic help.



MariaESchneider said:


> Can depend on the temp of the water/well. A well in Houston where the ground water is going to be warmer, muddier and have different sediment will decay differently than one in New York that freezes every year. I'm sure you'd still have some bones if it wasn't years and year. The bucket/chain...Houston/Texas has very humid conditions so the best of objects would be caked and rusted with mud and whatnot. Other places...who knows.


That's a good point about humid conditions and metal. Am basing this in a cold part of the US. Haven't decided where yet!



Steve Margolis said:


> ANSWER: Anyone know about decomposition of bones in fresh water?
> 
> QUESTION: Things not to say on Match. com


LOL 



WDR said:


> Bones in fresh water can last for years. The pH of the water will really determine how long those bones will last. In limestone caves, researchers have found bones that have been there for tens of thousands of years. If the water is acidic, that could dissolve the bones over time.
> 
> With no one around to draw it out, the water in an abandoned well would be stagnant. So any decay would likely come to a stop. As pointed out above, not only would the bones be intact, there would probably be flesh as well. It would also be a horrific, gelatinous, stinking mess. (I would feel very sorry for whoever had to recover the remains!)
> 
> ...


Thanks so much for that info. I definitely won't have any flesh left on the bones - although my story is a horror, it's more of a psych ghost story, and I don't want to centre on gore when it doesn't serve the tone of the story. So I'll go with your suggestion of having the water come and go.

Thanks for the link - can just imagine the questions they get!


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