Riddle's Bones

[Hannah]

No: HPFGUIDX 125378


martyb worte:
<snip>
Towards the end when Lord Voldemort is making his potion to  revive 
him  he uses his father's bone that he dug up. How is it that his 
father's  bones 
 are still in his coffin? I do not know much about decay and that 
sort of  thing 
> but how long do bones stay underground? If Voldemort was at school 
many  years  ago, and he killed his father during those years, then 
how is it his  
> father's parts are still around?

Hannah:  Well, think about all the skeletons that get dug up in 
ancient burial grounds that are still intact.  I don't know the 
actual timespan it takes for bones to degrade, but we're looking at 
thousands of years.  The outer part of bones are made of mineral 
deposits, such as calcium, and so last much longer than the soft and 
squidgy degradable parts.  Riddle Sr's bones would definitely still 
be around after a mere 50 years or so!  

Hannah