Study Of Animal Bones Research Articles

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This paper presents the results of a study of animal bones from Scythian burials of the second half of the 5th—4th century BC from the cemeteries “Vodovod” and “Garden” near the Glinoe village, Slobodzeya district, on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. The Scythians more often used bull meat (39.2%), a little less often — meat of small cattle (37.3%), and much less often — horse meat (19.6%) as sacrificial food. Horse meat and the hip cut of the carcass of a bull are more often marked in the graves of men; the shoulder — shoulder part of the carcass of a domestic bull were put in the graves of children and women. The vast majority of children’s burials were accompanied by the meat of small cattle, mainly sheep. The use of goat meat as sacrificial food is obviously a distinctive feature of the population that created the cemeteries Glinoe/Vodovod and Glinoe/Garden in the second half of the 5th—4th century BC. The lower boundary of the separation of the anterior and posterior shanks in the carcasses of horses, bulls and small cattle obviously passed along the distal row of wrist and tarsal bones, what can be considered a characteristic feature of the funerary rite of the Scythians in the 5th—4th centuries BC. It is noted that the kind of animal and part of the carcass used as sacrificial food are associated with the sex and age of the buried. It is shown that data on the age of cattle and small cattle, as well as horses slaughtered for use as sacrificial food, can be used to determine the time of year when the burials were made.

АРХЕОЗООЛОГИЯ БРОНЗОВОГО ВЕКА ЮЖНОГО УРАЛА: СТАБИЛЬНОСТЬ И ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ СКОТОВОДСТВА

The article is devoted to a discussion of the main results of archaeozoological studies of materials from settlements of different periods of the Bronze Age in the Southern Urals (the Sintashta and Alakul cultures) and new methodological approaches to the study of animal bones from archaeological sites. The basis of the life support system of the inhabitants of the settlements throughout the Bronze Age was the breeding of livestock. The main parameters of animal husbandry were relatively stable and did not undergo evolution from the Sintashta to Alakul periods of the Bronze Age. Modern archaeozoological studies have made it possible to fix the specific manner of fragmentation of bones, the alleged working exploitation of cattle and stall keeping of livestock, as well as to reveal the evolution of these processes during the Bronze Age. Drawing upon the results of the study of modern animal husbandry made it possible to identify osteophagy of ungulates, to assess the possibility of a settled model of pastoralism and typical pathologies of livestock for materials from the Bronze Age. The article proposes the use of bones with traces of exposure by ungulates as a reliable marker of the location of livestock in the Bronze Age settlements. The most important changes in animal husbandry include a slight decrease in the size of cattle, a change in the system of bone fragmentation, as well as the alleged termination of the tradition of working use of bulls/oxen in the Alakul time. The analysis of indirect markers and the results of the study of modern animal husbandry allow the reconstruction of a sedentary type of cattle breeding in the Bronze Age of the Southern Urals, in which herds of domestic ungulates graze all year round near settlements.

Cetacean exploitation in Roman and medieval London: Reconstructing whaling activities by applying zooarchaeological, historical, and biomolecular analysis

Cetacean (whale, dolphin, and porpoise) remains are occasionally encountered at Roman and medieval sites in London and are regularly the topic of medieval historical sources. These sources are often concerned with whale strandings and the subsequent claims on the carcass by the king, queen, or other members of the nobility or clergy with jurisdiction over the coastline that the whale stranded upon. The meat stripped from the carcasses was regularly transported to London and cetaceans have therefore been ascribed as a “high-status food source”. Besides, strandings, several historical sources also suggest that active whaling was undertaken, and that meat was sold at several London markets. Based on these historical sources it however remains unclear to what extent active whaling was undertaken, and which species were exploited.Zooarchaeological studies address whales and their role in Roman and medieval society more directly through the study of animal bones. This study combines historical sources and the identification of zooarchaeological cetacean remains from the London sites of Bermondsey Abbey, Westminster Abbey (cellarium), Winchester Palace, Vintry, St Peter’s Hill, and Trig Lane through Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) and morphological analysis. The historical and zooarchaeological evidence from London indicates that cetacean meat was indeed associated with a high-status diet, in particular the ecclesiastical diet, though some form of commercialization of cetacean meat also took place. On occasion, whale bone was used for the creation of bone artefacts or tools, primarily during the Middle Saxon period. Additionally, it is suggested that active whaling might occasionally have been undertaken, potentially already from the Middle Saxon period onwards. However, the majority of the remains were probably acquired through opportunistic scavenging of stranded individuals.

Commercial zooarchaeology of the ‘modern' era: a survey of attitudes and practices

The study of animal bones dating to the ‘modern' period (AD 1750–1950) has been perceived as neglected and undervalued by some zooarchaeologists working in Britain and Ireland, while North America is frequently held up as a beacon of good practice. Here, survey data are presented which compare practices and opinions between these two regions and the rest of the world. It is suggested that the principal difference may be one of perception and it is shown that research into the ‘modern' era is undertaken by commercial zooarchaeologists in every region; however, outside of the white settler states (USA, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay) it is very rarely published. A conclusion is reached that the gap may be bridged by raising awareness of how zooarchaeology can contribute to our understanding of the period.

Examples of wild animals on the Assyrian sculptures - selected samples

Information related to the animals in Mesopotamia comes from three sources, the first of which is the bones discovered through archaeological excavations, the second is the signs of cuneiform texts, and the third is the artistic scenes. The study of animal bones provides us with valuable information about the animal's type, sex, age, and in some cases, the diseases it previously had. The cuneiform texts provided information on the names of animals, as well as economic records on temple herds, as well as lists of animals that kings hunted or kept in their private parks.

Domestic patterns in the Numidian site of Althiburos (northern Tunisia): The results from a combined study of animal bones, dung and plant remains

The understanding of taphonomic and soil formation processes is critical for evaluating the integrity of the archaeological record. The Numidian settlement of Althiburos, northern Tunisia, presents a rich archaeobiological record which includes bones in well state of preservation, dung accumulation and plant remains. This paper focuses on the Early Numidian occupation of the site (from the 10th–9th century to the early 7th century BC). The results obtained from integrated studies of mammal remains in association to grass phytoliths and faecal spherulites rich sediments, and the factors leading to their formation and preservation, suggest locations where livestock dung were concentrated. Most of the studied layers are characterized by accumulations of dung related to a grass-rich diet and domestic waste. Faunal remains showed anthropic marks, such as burning, cut and chop marks. In contrast, animal bones are scarce or completely absent in contexts defined as hearths, indicating that they were not even discarded and thrown into the fire. Phytolith and spherulite associations in the latter contexts suggest the use of vegetal and faecal material for fuel purposes.

Microbial attack of archaeological bones versus high concentrations of heavy metals in the burial environment. A case study of animal bones from a mediaeval copper workshop in Paris

Microbial attack is one of the key processes altering archaeological bone during the early stage of diagenesis. Some burial conditions seem more prone to prevent microbial attack in archaeological bone. It is generally admitted that the presence of certain metals in the burial environment such as copper may have an inhibiting effect on microbial destruction of archaeological bone. This study was aimed at evidencing such effects by the investigation of different archaeological animal bones excavated from several activity zones of one French archaeological urban site corresponding to a mediaeval copper alloys workshop in Paris, at Hôtel de Mongelas. The analytical approach combined morphological observations (SEM), structural investigations (FT-IR, XRD, and TEM) and chemical analyses (SEM/EDX and μPIXE/PIGE) of archaeological bones at different scales down to the nanoscale. It permitted the classification of the bones as a function of their contamination with heavy metals, their conservation state and the presence of signs of microbial attack. Correlations between the observed alteration features and the metallurgical activity on this site as well as the underlying alteration processes are discussed. An inhibiting effect of heavy metals on the microbial attack could be deduced from the available, though restricted, data in agreement with the expectation. However, the relationship between heavy metal uptake and microbial alteration of bone depends on other diagenetic factors and their progress such as bone collagen content, crystallinity of bone mineral, soil geochemistry and hydrology. Significant changes in environmental conditions over time, which can especially occur in urban sites, can also influence alteration phenomena. Generally, simultaneous alterations induced by heavy metal uptake and microbial attack seem to take place in the very early stage of diagenesis and influence one another in sites with soils highly contaminated in heavy metals.

Late Dorset Caribou Hunters: Zooarchaeology of the Bell Site, Victoria Island

This paper presents a detailed study of animal bones from a Late Dorset house structure and midden at the Bell site, Victoria Island. Previous research has shown seal to be the staple resource of Late Dorset subsistence in most other regions. Bones of terrestrial mam- mals such as caribou are rarely found in Late Dorset sites, leading researchers to suggest that Late Dorset people may not have been actively hunting caribou or that caribou population num- bers were low during the Late Dorset period across much of the eastern Arctic. In contrast to other sites, faunal remains from the Bell site indicate that Late Dorset people living there were primarily dependent on caribou and Arctic char, and relied only minimally on seal. Thus, the Bell site presents a rare opportunity to understand terrestrial aspects of the Late Dorset economy.

A knowledge unique: the life of the pioneering explorer and palaeontologist, Dorothea Bate (1878–1951)

Abstract Dorothea Bate is recognized as a pioneer of archaeozoology – the study of animal bones from archaeological sites. She also worked extensively on cave sites. Her research in Cyprus, Crete, Majorca and Menorca, as well as pre World War II Palestine, showed her holistic approach to the use of animal bones in order to deduce dates, climate and environment of the sites. She was the first woman to work as a scientist at the Natural History Museum, then known as the British Museum (Natural History), and her research reports on the fossil faunas are still being used today.

Enlightened Views of the Transition to Agriculture

Mark Pluciennik has correctly pointed out that many of our current views of social and economic development in prehistory have their roots in the intellectual movement known as the Enlightenment during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. His critique focuses on the assignment of primacy to subsistence change as a way of dividing pre-state societies into meaningful categories. Although he and I probably approach archaeology from very different theoretical positions, I must confess that I have also marveled (privately) from time to time at the amount of attention that archaeologists pay to food-getting and consumption. This may be a bit surprising to the reader, since my research has been focused on early farming societies and my analytical specialty is the study of animal bones. Thus, it would be fair to conclude that I must have some intellectual stake in maintaining the conceptual distinction between foragers and farmers.

Seed Eaters of the Ancient Near East: Human or Herbivore?

On aborde ici la question de la domestication des plantes et des animaux au moment du passage du Mesolithique au Neolithique ancien au Moyen Orient L'A pose la question de l'expansion ou pas de l'habitat naturel des cereales et par consequence, s'il y a expansion, la question se pose alors des traces economiques et sociales reperables archeologiquement. Est-ce le manque de nourriture, la famine, qui a favorise le developpement de la culture intensive ?

Sicherung der Fleischversorgung -- Eine städtische Siedlung vom Mittelalter bis zur frühen Neuzeit -- Untersuchungen an Tierknochen am Beispiel Braunschweig

Sicherung der Fleischversorgung -- Eine städtische Siedlung vom Mittelalter bis zur frühen Neuzeit -- Untersuchungen an Tierknochen am Beispiel Braunschweig

Town and Village Economies in an Early State Society

This paper examines economic specialization in an early state society through a study of animal bones from two periods at the third millennium B.C. town site of Kurban Höyük, southeast Turkey. Two alternative strategies of rural production are present. During the earlier Period IV a high degree of specialization coincides with other evidence for a complex regional economy. The later Period III shows a simpler herding system which corresponds to the decline in both settlement size at Kurban and the level of socioeconomic complexity in the Karababa Basin.

Animal Bones : Problems for the Archaeologist together with some possible solutions

A principal goal of the quantitative study of animal bones from archaeological sites of any period is the elucidation of past cultural practices and patterns. In order to investigate these phenomena, however, it is necessary to evaluate the effects of biases introduced by non-controllable factors including differential disposal, deposition, and preservation and by controllable factors such as excavation, recovery, and handling procedures. By adopting special sampling, recovery, and handling techniques while in the field, the archaeologist can assist the faunal analyst in evaluating the effects of the various biasing factors. Some of these procedures are discussed in this essay together with some of the problems relating to the analysis and publication of faunal data.

Animal bone finds and economic archaeology: A critical study of ‘osteo‐archaeological’ method

Abstract This paper describes how the study of animal bones from archaeological sites ('osteo‐archaeology') may contribute to our reconstruction of cultural and economic history. Methods of identification, quantification and sex and age determination are critically reviewed. The basic problem of relating bone debris at archaeological sites to a prehistoric animal population is discussed.

The Study of Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites

The Study of Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites

The Study of Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites.

A basic study of animal bones dealing with the identification, of bone, its dating, measuring, etc. A special attention is paid to the techniques employed for the study of site collection and the pathology of bone. -- ICCROM

R. E. Chaplin: The study of animal bones from archaeological sites. London and New York: Seminar Press, 1971. 170 pp., 29 figs. (including 13 pls.), 12 tables. £2.00.

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