I assume you are refering to Grimes Graves, Star Carr is... Mesolithic. The
interpretation of the infant mortality in relation to dairy production is
still under debate - many authors have pointed out the difficulties of
obtaining milk from a cow whose calf had been slaughtered in a traditional
herding system of non improved breeds. One of our colleagues (Marie Balasse)
has recently defended a thesis on this very subject (ref. below). As for the
use of teeth eruptions and wear versus bone fusion for the construction of
kill off patterns and mortality curves, I join Jacqui in using preferably
the former, which are much more reliable (few distortion from taphonomic
processes) and precise (which does not prevent from having a look at the
former afterwards!).
Best
Anne
Balasse M., 1999 : De l'esploitation du lait au Néolithique moyen en Europe
tempérée. Examen des modalités de sevrage des bovins par l'analyse
isotopique des ossements archéologiques. Thèse de l'Université de Paris I.
Balasse M., Bocherens H., Tresset A., Mariotti A. et Vigne J.D., 1997 :
Emergence de la production laitière au Néolithique? Contribution de
l'analyse d'ossements de bovins archéologiques. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie
des Sciences. Elsevier, Paris, pp. 1005-1010.
Dr Anne TRESSET
ESA 8045 du CNRS "Archéozoologie et Histoire des Sociétés"
Laboratoire d'Anatomie Comparée
Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle
55 rue Buffon - 75005 Paris - FRANCE
Tel : +33 (0)1 40 79 33 30 Fax : +33 (0)1 40 79 33 14
-----Message d'origine-----
De : [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
À : [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date : mercredi 4 octobre 2000 15:08
Objet : RE: infant mortality
>>From Jacqui mulville:
>
>'I am looking for sites with a high degree of infant mortality amongst
>domestic species, particuarly cow and sheep. By this I mean animal dying
>at or around the point were wear on the deciduous teeth is absent or very
>slight.'
>
>Just as a matter of interest, correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be
restricting this study to mandibles/maxilla. How come?
>It should also be said, and here I could be teaching my grandmother to suck
eggs, that you will have the additional problem of deliberate infant
mortalities, this related to milk production. A good discussion of this
phenomenon can be found in Legges article about Starr Carr revisited.
>
>All the best
>
>Kevin
>Museum of London Specialist Services
>
> ----------
>From: jacqui.mulville@university-mus
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: infant mortality
>Date: 04 October 2000 11:08
>
>
>Dear all,
>
>I am looking for sites with a high degree of infant mortality amongst
>domestic species, particuarly cow and sheep. By this I mean animal dying
>at or around the point were wear on the deciduous teeth is absent or very
>slight.
>
>There is a phenonomen in the north and west of scotland sites from Iron
>Age onwards (and possible before) have very high infant cattle mortality
> - this has been interpreted as problems with fodder or milking. Anyhow I
>need more examples as I want to investigate the phenomen further!
>
>I am familiar with most of the UK published material, other
>sites would be of interest partic from northern/extreme winter parts of
>the world and any contrary sites with high infant mortality when there
>appears to be plenty of fodder.
>
>Thanks
>jacqui
> ----------------------
>Jacqui Mulville,
>EH Regional Science Advisor (E. Mids)
>Oxford University Museum,
>Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW
>Tel: 01865-272996 Fax: 01865-272970
>
>
>
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