I agree that hibernation is certainly a possibility, though a high number of
rodent skulls in the assemblage I saw had a pattern of damage that seemed
typical of bird predation (though I would like to have a second opinion from
somebody with a greater experience in this kind of analysis)
another interesting question to bear in mind is that some of these barrows are
quite a long way away from streams and other water sources, yet the water vole
tends to be the most common species. It is certainly possible that water vole's
habitat was different in the past, but of course if they were carried there by
birds this could also explain why thery are found in these dry environments.
--
Umberto Albarella
Dept of Archaeology
University of Durham
Durham DH1 3LE, UK
tel.+44-191-3341153
fax +44-191-3341101
http://www.dur.ac.uk/Archaeology/staff/UA/index.htm
Quoting Prof TP O'Connor <[log in to unmask]>:
> I would support Chris G-O's comment about hibernation. Burial mounds
> and cairns in hilly areas of Wales and northern England frequently yield
> quantities of small bones. The bones often occur in discrete patches,
> and are frequently identifiable to toad and water vole. In both cases,
> deaths in hibernation seem quite likely, either through low temperature
> and metabolic collapse, or because a recently constructed mound has
> 'settled', entombing or squashing critters that had taken advantage of
> spaces in the mound interstices. I wouldn't entirely rule out some
> contribution from owls, using a raised mound as a convenient place to
> perch and digest prey, perhaps, but hibernation deaths seem likely to be
> a major source of bones in cairns.
>
> Terry O'Connor
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Gleed-Owen
> Sent: 06 November 2003 10:59
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Animals and excarnation
>
>
> If anyone has amphibian & reptile remains from such barrows as Umberto
> mentions, i'd like to identify them! I feel that many occurrences may be
> through hibernation & attempts to find temporary refugia, but it is also
> easy to see signs of digestion in amphibian bones and if raptors or
> mustelids had accumulatede them, it would be clear.
>
> cheers,
> Chris
>
> Dr Chris Gleed-Owen
> Research & Monitoring Officer
>
> The Herpetological Conservation Trust
> 655A Christchurch Road
> Boscombe
> Bournemouth
> Dorset BH1 4AP
>
> tel: 01202 391319 fax: 01202 392785 mob: 07810 770567
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Umberto Albarella
> Sent: 06 November 2003 10:39
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [ZOOARCH] Animals and excarnation
>
>
> Dear Melanie,
>
> the possible link between the finding of bones of carrion eaters (or
> bones deriving from their pellets) and the existence of excarnation
> platforms has been mentioned for a number of Bronze Age barrows in
> England. In particular you may want to see:
>
> Stallibrass, S. 1991. The animal bones from a Bronze Age cairn at
> Hardenale Nab, Cumbria, 1986. London, English Heritage, Ancient
> Monuments Laboratory Report 89/91.
>
> A few years ago I visited myself the excavation of another barrow in
> Derbyshire (north England) - a site called Longstone Edge - where a
> similar association between scavengers and excarnations was suggested
> (and highly publicised in the press). The site produced a massive amount
> of bones of microvertebrates, which I think were mainly deriving from
> pellets (probably owl's). When I left my job in Birmingham I left this
> project behind, but I hope that somebody at English Heritage has taken
> over. I think taht it would be very interesting to know the results of
> the study at some point. Personally I remain unconvinced that there is a
> clear link between the excarnation and the abundance of
> microvertebrates, as owls (if they were indeed responsible for the
> pellets) are not carrion eaters. This is however a fascinating problem,
> which is worth exploring further. A high proportion of prehistoric
> barrows in northern England are packed with bones of small vertebrates
> and we still don't know why. If anybody has made any more research on
> this, I would be very interested to hear.
>
> Cheers,
> Umberto
>
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