Yes. Human skeletal remains do decay, but much more slowly than soft tissues, and in some conditions they can persist for centuries or even become fossilized.

How bones decay

Bones are made of an organic component (mainly collagen protein) and an inorganic mineral component (mostly hydroxyapatite), and the breakdown of these parts over time is called diagenesis. The protein portion degrades first through microbial and chemical processes, which then leaves the mineral structure more fragile and prone to cracking and flaking.

Once the collagen is gone, environmental factors such as moisture, temperature changes, soil chemistry, and physical wear gradually break down the remaining mineral material into smaller fragments and eventually dust. In acidic or very wet environments, this mineral phase can dissolve or crumble relatively quickly (over years to a few decades), while in dry, neutral, or alkaline environments it can persist for very long periods.

How long skeletal remains last

After the soft tissues have decomposed and the body has reached the skeletal stage, the rate of further decay slows dramatically. In fertile or more chemically active soils, a skeleton may completely break down in roughly a few decades, whereas in neutral or sandy soils it may remain recognizable for hundreds of years.

In very dry, anoxic, or mineral-rich conditions, minerals from the surrounding environment can infill and replace the bone’s original material, leading to fossilization that can preserve skeletal remains for thousands or millions of years rather than allowing them to fully decay.